Chickpes Respond Well To Inocultion With TgTem S.M. Phelps, nd E. Hgele Philom Bios Inc., 318-111 Reserch Drive, Ssktoon, SK S7N 3R2 Abstrct Rhizobi strins were tested in TgTem pet nd grnule formultions for their effectiveness t incresing yields in chickpes. Of the five strins tested in 1999, the top three were chosen on the bsis of yields produced nd were formulted in both pet nd grnulr for testing in 2000. Desi (cv. Myles) nd kbuli (cv. Chico) chickpes were used to evlute the strins in 2000. Results were consistent in both types of chickpes with both vrieties responding well to inocultion. In pet formultion there ws no difference between the strins but in the grnulr formultion there ws difference. One of the three strins survived poorly on the grnules nd ws not used in the trils. Of the two remining strins one showed slight dvntge over the other nd this ws consistent in both desi nd kbuli chickpes. The verge response to inocultion over 4 loctions rnged from 30% to 47% increse in yields in kbuli nd 48% to 60% increse in yields in desi. The response in desi nd kbuli chickpes is site specific s Birsy gve the highest yields in desi chickpes, while Milden ws the most responsive with kbuli type chickpes. Introduction The chickpe crege in Ssktchewn hs grown drmticlly s creges incresed from 350,000 cres in 1999 to 680,000 cres in 2000. Projected cres for 2001 re up further to 800,000 cres. As n inoculnt compny, Philom Bios sw this mrket s new opportunity to expnd the TgTem line of products to include chickpe. TgTem is the first dul inoculnt vilble for use on pulse crops. It contins phosphte solubilizing fungus nd nitrogen fixing rhizobi. The phosphte solubilizing fungus ws discovered by Dr. R.M.N. Kucey from Agriculture nd Agri-Food Cnd in Lethbridge in 1980 s (Kucey, 1983). Although the P. biliii component of TgTem is very importnt in terms of phosphte fertility, it is the nitrogen fixing component tht cn hve the gretest impct on yield. There re different species of rhizobi for different crops. For chickpe, the rhizobi species ssocited with nitrogen fixtion is Rhizobium ciceri. Within ech species of rhizobi there re numerous strins. Ech strin my hve different bilities to nodulte chickpes or certin level of ttinble nitrogen fixtion. Fctors tht ffect rhizobil survivl in the soil or movement towrds the roots cn hve drstic effects on nodultion. These fctors re such things s motility, competitiveness, resistnce to low ph, nd growth rte. Once nodultion occurs, rhizobi strins cn then fix nitrogen t different efficiencies nd therefore cn be either benefit to the plnt if they re efficient or cn be n energy sink if the nitrogen fixtion is inefficient. By incresing the levels of nitrogen fixtion there is direct ffect on grin yield of the plnt. The more efficient the process of nitrogen fixtion, the greter the potentil yield of the crop. A combintion of incresed crop yield potentil through plnt breeding in conjunction with - 232 -
selection of superior rhizobi strins will llow highest yields with lowest input costs. The purpose of this study ws to identify superior rhizobi strin(s) tht perform well in TgTem pet nd grnule formultions on both desi nd kbuli type chickpes. Mterils nd Methods Smll plot field trils were set up t 6 loctions in both 1999 nd 2000 to look t the efficcy of rhizobi strins on chickpe yields. Sites were chosen bsed on low nitrogen nd phosphte levels (<35 lbs/cre), no chickpes grown in pst 4 yers, nd no residul herbicide concerns. The field reserch site loctions in 1999 include Milden, Clon, Borden, Aberdeen, Elrose nd Perdue. In 2000, the field reserch sites include Milden, Lndis, Stewrt Vlley, Birsy, nd two loctions t Cupr. In 1999, five rhizobi strins were evluted in TgTem pet formultion on desi (cv. Myles) chickpes. The top 3 strins from 1999 were reevluted in 2000 s TgTem pet nd TgTem grnule formultions on both desi (cv. Myles) nd kbuli (cv. Chico) chickpes. There were no seed tretments used in 1999. In 2000, kbuli seeds were treted with Vitflo 280 nd Apron FL. The studies were rrnged in rndomized complete block design with six replictions in 1999 nd four replictions in 2000. Trils were direct seeded with customized smll plot ir seeder. Monommonium phosphte (11-51-0) ws pplied t rtes ccording to soil test recommendtions. Dt collected included bove ground dry mtter nd totl grin yield in 1999 nd only grin yield in 2000. The dt ws nlyzed in SAS by GLM using contrsts to compre tretments. Dt sets from sites tht hd coefficient of vrince bove 20% were not used in the clcultions or sttisticl nlysis of combined sites. 1999 Results Inoculnt response t time of dry mtter smpling ws significnt (p<0.01). Over 6 trils ll strins yielded higher thn the uninoculted (Figure 1). When ll 5 strins were compred there ws only significnt difference between strin 113 nd strin 131 (p<0.05). 149 142 135 128 121 114 107 b b b b 109 113 131 137-233 -
Figure 1. Averge dry mtter yields from 6 chickpe sites in 1999 expressed s percent of. Control verge yield ws 231 kg/h. LSD is 7% (p<0.05) All 6 chickpe trils were tken to hrvest but only Elrose, Milden nd Borden were used in the sttisticl nlysis. Perdue hd coefficient of vrince tht ws much greter thn the cceptble 20% s the yields were extremely vrible. Disese nd erly frost were involved in the vrible yields t this site. Aberdeen nd Clon did hve n inoculnt response but it did not crry through to yield s the sites experienced n erly frost tht ws most detrimentl to the helthy green inoculted tretments nd hd lesser n effect on the lredy mturing uninoculted. Squre meter dry mtter smples of Clon were tken soon fter the frost in September nd the dt ws included in the dry mtter nlysis mentioned bove. Results of the three trils tken to yield demonstrte tht sites respond to inocultion to different degrees (Tble 1). Elrose ws very responsive site showing yield increses up to 186 with strin 109. Milden responded well with yields reching up to 142. Although Borden did not show significnt response to inocultion, there ws yield increse with strins 109 nd 113. Tble 1. Hrvest yield results from 3 trils in 1999 nd the verge of ll three trils. Yields expressed s kg per hectre nd percent of. Tretment Elrose Milden Borden Averge Control 1866 1610 1791 1756 109 3462 186 2178 135 1969 110 2536 144 113 3058 164 2227 138 2090 117 2458 140 3084 165 2287 142 1825 102 2398 137 131 3082 165 1925 120 1848 103 2285 137 3063 164 2104 131 1834 102 2334 133 LSD (P<0.05) 275 15 341 21 314 18 178 10 When ll sites were combined, nd the men of ech individul strin ws compred using contrsts, strin 131 proved inferior to ll other strins. This supports the inferior performnce suggested in dry mtter yields. The highest grin yields were obtined with strin 109. When compred to other strins individully the strin 109 outperformed 137 nd 131, nd ws considered similr in yield to 113 nd. 2000 Results To confirm findings in 1999, further testing ws done in 2000. In 2000, grnulr formultion of TgTem chickpe ws dded to the trils. This time, only the top 3 strins were evluted nd they were chosen to be 109, 113, nd. In choosing the strins their performnce in the - 234 -
field ws most importnt but other fctors were considered, such s stbility on seed nd growth rtes. In the lb studies (results not shown) it ws determined tht hd better growth nd survivl on seed thn 137 nd this strin ws dded to the field tests in 2000. Dt collected in 2000 field trils involves hrvest yields only. Out of 6 sites seeded, 4 were tken to hrvest. The two sites lost include Stewrt Vlley nd Lndis. There ws good inocultion response t both sites by visul nlysis but the sites were unhrvestble. The response to inocultion with the three strins in TgTem pet nd grnule formultions is better in desi (vr. Myles) thn in kbuli (vr. Chico) s the yields in percent of were higher (Figure 2). In terms of ctul grin yield, kbuli chickpes yielded higher thn desi chickpes over ll tretments. For exmple, uninoculted s yielded 1713 nd 2104 kg/h for desi nd kbuli, respectively. ) pet formultion b) grnule formultion b 160 150 140 120 110 109 160 113 150 140 120 110 Desi Kbuli Desi Kbuli b 109 Figure 2. Response of desi nd kbuli chickpes to inocultion with three strins of rhizobi in TgTem pet () nd grnule (b) formultions. LSD (p<0.05) for desi is 12%, nd for kbuli is 7%. In terms of strin responses, there ws no significnt difference between the three strins in the pet formultion. In the grnule formultion there ws significnt difference with strin 109 being superior to strin kbuli (P<0.05) nd only slightly superior in desi (p<0.10)(figure 4). Strin 113 ws not put into the field trils in grnule formultion becuse the titres were too low (dt not presented). Formultion does hve n impct on yield with strin 109 s the grnulr formultion produced higher yields thn the pet formultion in kbuli chickpes (Figure 5). The desi chickpes lso responded to grnulr TgTem but yields were not sttisticlly significnt. Strin, on the other hnd, responded similrly in both pet nd grnulr formultions. - 235 -
Figure 4. Response of desi nd kbuli chickpe to pet nd grnulr formultions of TgTem strin 109 () nd (b). LSD (p<0.05) for desi is 12%, nd for kbuli is 7%. Sme letters within ech type of chickpe men no difference between the mens t the 5% level of significnce. Conclusions Desi nd kbuli chickpes respond well to inocultion with TgTem. Within the inoculnt response there were different yields obtined by ech strin. Out of the five strins tested in 1999 there were 3 strins tht were superior in terms of yield produced nd growth rte in the lb. The three strins tested in 2000 demonstrte no difference in yields obtined from the pet formultions, but strin 109 ws superior in the grnule formultion. When the two formultions were compred strins 109 nd responded differently. Strin 109 efficcy incresed with the grnulr formultion wheres, strin showed no difference between the pet nd grnule formultions. The improved efficcy of strin 109 in grnule formultion ws most evident in kbuli chickpes. From these results it cn be stted tht rhizobil strin nd formultion do hve n impct on efficcy of TgTem inoculnts for chickpe nd desi nd kbuli chickpes do respond similrily. Literture Cited Kucey, R.M.N. 1983. Phosphte-solubilizing bcteri nd fungi in vrious cultivted nd virgin Albert soils. Cn. J. Soil Sci. 63:671-678. - 236 -