Effect of rhizobial inoculants and micronutrients on yield and yield components of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) on vertisol of Wereillu district, South Wollo, Ethiopia

Abstract

Nitrogen fixation by legumes like faba bean is a cheap way of fixing atmospheric nitrogen to plant available form. However, the inoculation of grain legumes with rhizobium bacteria along with the addition of micronutrients is poorly researched in Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Thus a study to examine the effects of rhizobium leguminosarum (var vicae) strains and micronutrients on nodulation, growth, and yield of faba bean was conducted in Wereillu district of Amhara Region, Ethiopia during the rainy season of 2018. The treatments comprised three faba bean strains (un-inoculated, EAL-1018, EAL-1035 and EAL-17) and two micro nutrients (without, zinc, boron) arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The collected data on yield and yield-related parameters were analyzed using Statistical Analysis System (2003), version 9.1 and subjected to Duncan’s Multiple Range Test for mean separation when the analysis of variance was significant. The mean separation revealed that the combined effect of EAL-1018 and boron brought significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher difference on nodule number, nodulation volume, nodule dry weight, biomass yield and grain yield compared to the control. The combined effect of faba bean strain, EAL-1018 and boron gave 65.9% grain yield advantage over the control and 13.9% compared to the second promising treatment (EAL-1018 alone). Hence, EAL-1018 combined with boron is recommended for the study area and similar agro-ecologies.

Keywords

• symbiosis
• faba bean
• strain
• nitrogen fixation
• legume