Location: Soybean and Nitrogen Fixation Research
Project Number: 6070-21220-070-052-A
Project Type: Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Oct 1, 2023
End Date: Sep 30, 2024
Objective:
Objective: 2b). Add the P-solubilization trait into an N-fixing drought-tolerant inoculant.
Approach:
2b). The Cooperator will conduct yield trials evaluating the drought-tolerant inoculant (Bradyrhizobium japonicum TXVA strain) at Sandhills Research Station, North Carolina. The experimental design will be a RCB with 3 treatments (TXVA, commercial strain, and no inoculant) with 2 environmental conditions (irrigation vs. non-irrigation). Recently, P-solubilizing ability of Bradyrhizobium has been documented and poses to double the sustainable nature of inoculants by providing nutrient utilization pathways for N and P for soybean. Commercial inoculant is a dual-function inoculant that contains the N-fixing bacterium Bradyrhizobium in combination with the P-solubilizing fungi Penicillium which presents a viable product to assess N and P availability in the rhizosphere. This test will employ cultivar USDA-N7003CN, which is an MG 7 type that exhibits cyst nematode resistance. Soil, plant, root, and nodule samples will be collected ca. 8 weeks after planting for analyzing rhizospheric nutrient flux, plant physiology, and nodule properties. Rhizosphere physio-chemical analysis, plant biomass, leaf tissue nutrient levels, total nodule numbers, and distribution of nodules on the taproot will be compared among the three treatments in both irrigated and non-irrigated conditions. Soybeans will be harvested and their yield will be compared among the three treatments. In addition, seed protein content and oil content will be also measured for the three treatments.
