Impact of bio-inoculation with Bradyrhizobium spp. on yield and Seed quality of forage cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) under soil salinity conditions

El-Gaafarey, Tamer; El-Nahrawy, Shereen; El-Nahrawy, Sahar M.

doi:10.21608/jenvbs.2020.39713.1102

Impact of bio-inoculation with Bradyrhizobium spp. on yield and Seed quality of forage cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) under soil salinity conditions

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Forage Crops, Field Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, Giza, Egypt

² Microbiology Department, Soil, Water and Environment Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt

10.21608/jenvbs.2020.39713.1102

Abstract

A study was carried out to assess the effect of single and/or combined inoculation with Bradyrhizobium spp. isolates on seed yield and quality of forage cowpea (Vigna unguiculata cv. Baladi) under salinity-affected soil conditions. The experiment was conducted in a split plot design for two growing seasons, 2018 and 2019, with two main plot treatments of irrigation water (normal and saline) and four sub-plot inoculation treatments. Results revealed that sub-main plot treatments differed significantly for number of branches, number of pods, pod length, number of seeds pod-1, pod weight plot-1 (Kg) and seed yield (Kg fed-1) of forage cowpea plants as affected by the type of irrigation water in the two growing seasons. Also, combination treatment (Bradyrhizobium SARS-Rh3 and Bradyrhizobium SARS-Rh5) significantly minimized the negative effects of saline irrigation water treatment for seed content of elements (N, P, K, Zn, Mn, Fe and Cu). In the same context, inoculation treatments followed the descending order of SARS-Rh3 + SARS-Rh5 > SARS-Rh5 > SARS-Rh3 > control for total carbohydrate and protein % of cowpea seeds during 2018 and 2019 seasons. For assessment of seed quality viz., seed germination (%), seedling length (cm), seedling weight (g), vigour index I and vigour index II were higher in 2019 than 2018 season. Similar finding was observed in economic evaluation for SARS-Rh3+SARS-Rh5 treatment which enhanced profitability of cowpea during the two growing seasons.

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