Start:
July 1, 2016
Finish:
July 30, 2019
Project participants
SARDI: Liz Farquharson.
The problem
Comparing the effectiveness inoculation formulations for nodulating faba beans and fixing nitrogen when dry sown.
The research
Two field trials at Wanilla on Lower Eyre Peninsula are assessing optimising incoluation and acid tolerant rhizobia.
Research aims
The two Eyre Peninsula trials are being conducted at Wanilla on a site with a pHCaCl2 of 4.3 in the top 10cm of soil.
Optimising Inoculation for dry sown beans
The first trial is comparing a range of inoculant formulations for their effectiveness in nodulating faba bean and fixing nitrogen when dry sown. This trial was sown on the 28th of April and was in the ground dry for four weeks before rain.
Acid Tolerant Rhiozbia Trial
This Trial aimed to (i) determine if increasing the rate of peat applied rhizobia inoculant on seed improves nodulation of faba bean when sown dry and (ii) to compare the suitability of two new Gr E-F rhizobia strains with putative acid tolerance to dry sowing.
In the field
The two Eyre Peninsula trials are being conducted at Wanilla on a site with a pHCaCl2 of 4.3 in the top 10cm of soil.
Optimising Inoculation for dry sown beans
This trial was sown on the 28th of April and was in the ground dry for four weeks before rain.
Acid tolerant rhizobia trial
This trial had ten treatments, one uninoculated (nil) control, the commercial Gr F rhizobia strain WSM1455, and two strains with putative acid tolerance (SRDI954 and SRDI969). All strains were grown up in sterile peats at SARDI and applied at one of three rates to seed (0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 times the recommended rate (RR)) within 24 hours of sowing. This trial was sown at TOS1 on the 28th of April. The trial was in the ground for four weeks before rain.
When will a new strain be available?
Further trials and a range of other duty of care and manufacturing tests are required before these strains will be available commercially. With further funding and all going well we would expect an acid tolerant strain to be available in 2020.
What can growers do now to improve nodulation of bean , pea or lentil on acid soils?
More information will be updated as it becomes available.