Seed pelleting to improve nodulation of tropical and subtropical legumes. 6. The effects of dilute sticker and of bauxite pelleting on nodulation of six legumes

Abstract

In a field experiment at Beerwah, Queensland, bauxite pellet applied with 4 per cent methyl cellulose sticker and 1 per cent methyl cellulose as a simple sticker for the inoculant were compared with the standard treatments used successfully in a previous series of experiments. These were peat applied with 4 per cent methyl cellulose, and Florida rock phosphate pellet with 4 per cent methyl cellulose sticker. Legumes and Rhizobium strains tested were Desmodium uncinatum and D. intortum, inoculated with Rhizobium CB627, Lablab purpureus (formerly Dolichos lablab), Glycine wightii (three cvs. Clarence, Cooper and Tinaroo), and Macroptilium atropurpureum (formerly Phaseolus atropurpureus), all inoculated with Rhizobium CB756, and Lotononis bainesii inoculated with Rhizobium CB376. All were planted after 2-day and 28-day storage of inoculated seed. The effectiveness of the treatments was checked by nodule counting and by serologically identifying the strains in a random sample of nodules from each treatment. The majority of nodules formed came from the applied inoculants, but there were no differences between the inoculation treatments in nodulation criteria or effect on yield. The experiment confirmed that bauxite is a satisfactory pelleting material for tropical legumes, but the application of the inoculant peat with 1 per cent methyl cellulose leads to equally good nodulation.