Assessment of indigenous Bradyrhizobia spp. population levels in low phosphorus soils of southern Cameroon using cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) as trap crop

Abstract

4 cells per gram of soil sample was estimated whereas this population was 5.8 x 10 5 in Nkoemvone. Overall, population sizes of rhizobia using the three varieties were higher in Nkoemvone soil than in Nkometou soil. The cowpea variety 58-77 seemed to have high nitrogen fixation potentials as it formed nodules more than the two other varieties in both soils. The levels of Bradyrhizobia populations observed in the two sites were adequate to give satisfactory results on nodulation and nitrogen fixation. This suggests that cowpea production in southern Cameroon does not require inoculation.

Phylogeny and nitrogen fixation potential ofBradyrhizobiumspecies isolated from the legume cover cropPueraria phaseoloides(Roxb.) Benth. in Eastern Cameroon

“…They found differences in nodulation phenotypes with higher rhizobial densities and increased crop growth occurring in mixed farming areas, fallow lands and forest areas than on coffee (Coffea arabica (L.)) or cacao (Theobroma cocoa (L.)) plantations. Atemkeng and Begoude (2014) assessed indigenous Bradyrhizobium spp. population levels in low-phosphorus soils at two locations in southern Cameroon, using cowpea as a trap crop and the mostprobable number technique.…”