Yield and economic benefits of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and soybean (Glycine max) inoculation in northern Tanzania
P. A. Ndakidemi A D , F. D. Dakora B E , E. M. Nkonya C , D. Ringo D and H. Mansoor DA Faculty of Applied Science, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Keizersgracht, District 6, PO Box 652, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa.
B Research and Technology Promotion, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Keizersgracht, PO Box 652, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa.
C International Food Policy Research Institute, PO Box 28565, Kampala, Uganda.
D Selian Agricultural Research Institute, PO Box 6024, Arusha, Tanzania.
E Corresponding author. Email: dakoraf@cput.ac.za
Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 46(4) 571-577 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA03157
Submitted: 29 July 2003 Accepted: 9 February 2005 Published: 20 April 2006
Abstract
On-farm experiments were conducted in farmers’ fields at 12 different sites in the 2 districts of Moshi and Rombo in northern Tanzania during the 2000–01 cropping season to study the effects of (brady)rhizobial inoculation in combination with P supply on growth and grain yields of soybean and common bean, and to assess the economic returns of these different technologies to farmers. A low level of N was included as an indicator of endogenous soil N status. The treatments included (brady)rhizobial inoculation, N fertilisation (30 kg N/ha as urea), P application [26 kg P/ha as triple super phosphate (TSP)], (brady)rhizobial inoculation + P fertilisation (26 kg/ha as TSP) and unfertilised uninoculated control. The study was conducted as a randomised complete block design with each of the 12 farmers’ fields as a replicate. At harvest, plant growth of soybean and common bean was significantly (P≤0.05) greater with (brady)rhizobial inoculation compared with N and P supply or uninoculated control in the 2 districts. Relative to uninoculated unfertilised plots, grain yields of common bean were markedly (P≤0.05) increased by 60–78% from inoculation alone, and 82–95% from inoculation + 26 kg P/ha; with soybean there was 127–139% increase in grain yield from inoculation alone, and 207–231% from inoculation + P. Thus, the combined application of bacterial inoculants and P fertiliser to field plants of soybean and common bean significantly (P≤0.05) increased biomass production and grain yield compared with the single use of N and P or (brady)rhizobial strains. From economic analysis, the increase in grain yield with inoculation translated into a significantly (P≤0.05) higher marginal rate of return and dollar profit for soybean and common bean farmers in northern Tanzania. With common bean, there was a 66 and 92% increase, respectively, in dollar profit with inoculation at Moshi and Rombo districts respectively relative to control; these profit margins rose to 84 and 102% with provision of supplemental P (26 kg P/ha). With soybean, however, the increase in profit with inoculation was much larger, about 140 and 153% at Rombo and Moshi, respectively, and these rose to 224 and 250% with P supply.
Additional keywords: biological nitrogen fixation, (brady)rhizobia, dollar profit, legume inoculation, marginal rate of return.
Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge the financial support provided by the Directorate of Research and Development in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security Tanzania, through TARP II project. This study was also partially funded by the International Atomic Energy Agency through project number RAF/5045. The National Research Foundation of South Africa and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology are thanked for financial support to FDD. The technical assistance of Mrs. Scholastica Masenge and extension staff in Moshi and Rombo districts are also appreciated.
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