Response of pea to rhizobia inoculation and starter nitrogen in Alberta

Abstract

2001. Response of pea to rhizobia inoculation and starter nitrogen in Alberta. Can. J. Plant Sci. 81: 637-643. The introduction of new semileafless cultivars has contributed to the rapid expansion of pea (Pisum sativum) on the Canadian prairies. To determine the response of four new semi-leafless cultivars to rhizobia inoculation and starter fertilizer N, 58 field trials were conducted from 1995 to 1998 over a wide geographic region of Alberta. However, due to possible cross-contamination in 1995 and 1996 between inoculated and uninoculated treatments, average inoculation responses were only determined for the 22 trials conducted in 1997 and 1998. Rhizobia inoculation increased seed yield in 9 of the 22 trials by an average of 14%. The frequency of an inoculation benefit was only slightly higher (45% vs. 38%) on land with no history of legumes (n = 11) than on land that had grown a legume crop (n = 8), but the magnitude of the inoculation benefit was appreciably greater (19 vs. 5%) on land with no history of legumes. A significant interaction of inoculation with pea cultivar was observed in 6 of 22 trials: Majoret pea was the most responsive cultivar to inoculation while Baroness pea was the least responsive. Application of N fertilizer (20, 40 or 60 kg N ha -1 ) increased pea yield in 24% of the 58 trials conducted by an average of 9%. When spring soil NO 3 -N to 30 cm was less than 20 kg N ha -1 , application of N fertilizer increased pea yield in 33% of the trials by an average of 11% (n = 12). The modest benefits of rhizobia inoculation or starter N fertilizer in most trials, despite appreciable deficits between spring soil NO 3 -N and accumulation of N by pea, was likely due to adequate nodulation of pea by indigenous rhizobia. . L'introduction de nouveaux cultivars semi-aphylles a concouru à une expansion rapide de la culture du pois de plein champ (Pisum sativum) dans les Prairies canadiennes. De 1995 à 1998, les auteurs ont procédé à 58 essais sur le terrain, un peu partout en Alberta, pour vérifier la réaction de quatre nouvelles variétés de ce genre à l'inoculation de rhizobium et à un engrais de démarrage azoté. Malheureusement, une contamination croisée possible entre les plants inoculés et ceux qui ne l'étaient pas en 1995 et en 1996 n'a permis d'établir la réaction moyenne des variétés à l'inoculation que pour les 22 essais effectués en 1997 et en 1998. L'inoculation de rhizobium a augmenté le rendement grainier d'en moyenne 14 % dans 9 essais sur 22. L'amélioration attribuable au traitement est légèrement plus élevée (45 % contre 38 %) sur les terrains n'ayant jamais servi à la culture de légumineuses (n = 11) que sur ceux déjà utilisés à cette fin (n = 8), mais l'inoculation est notablement plus efficace (19 % contre 5 %) sur les sols sans antécédents de culture de légumineuse. On remarque une interaction significative entre l'inoculation et le cultivar dans 6 essais sur 22. Ainsi, la variété Majoret réagit le mieux à l'inoculation tandis que le cultivar Baroness y est le plus réfractaire. L'app...

Inoculant formulation and fertilizer nitrogen effects on field pea: Nodulation, N2 fixation and nitrogen partitioning

“…Consequently, field pea was grown under a high N environment, particularly, Fort Vermilion in 1996. McKenzie et al (2001) reported that in 22 trials conducted in Alberta, the level of soil NO 3 -N prior to planting did not affect the frequency of inoculation benefits to pea yield. Indeed, as many as 50% of the trials with spring soil NO 3 -N levels greater than 40 kg ha -1 responded to rhizobia inoculation, suggesting that field pea nodulation and N 2 fixation may not be highly sensitive to residual soil inorganic N levels.…”

Effect of formulation and placement of Mesorhizobium inoculants for chickpea in the semiarid Canadian prairies

“…However, the site effects on the inoculant performance observed in the present study might also be related to other factors such as soil attributes and environmental conditions. Pre-seeding available soil N in the 0-to 60-cm depth was greater at Stewart Valley (17 kg ha -1 ) than at Swift Current (13 kg ha -1 ), but residual soil NO 3 -N usually does not appreciably affect the frequency of inoculation benefits (McKenzie et al 2001). Clayton et al (2004b) observed that at an available soil NO 3 -N level of 40 kg ha -1 , dry pea still had good responses to inoculation, suggesting that annual pulses may not be sensitive to available soil NO 3 -N in terms of nodule formation and nitrogen fixation.…”

“…An alternative is to apply the inoculant to the soil at the time of planting. Soil inoculation with a granular form has been successful for faba bean (Vicia faba L.) (Dean and Clark 1977), soybean (Glycine max L.) (Danso et al 1990), field pea (Pisum sativum L.) (McKenzie et al 2001;Clayton et al 2004a), and chickpea (Kyei-Boahen et al 2002). However, no information is available on the response of chickpea to placement of granular inoculants in the soil.…”

Evapotranspiration efficiency of pea in south and central Alberta

“…Carneval was one of the highest yielding cultivars in tests conducted across Alberta (McKenzie et al 2001a). Trials were planted at recommended rates to provide approximately 80 plants m -2 .…”

“…Measurements of water use and ET efficiency were components of field trials conducted to evaluate the effect of cultivar, rhizobia inoculation and fertilizer on pea seed yield across all agro-ecological regions of Alberta (McKenzie et al 2001a, b). Sites for this study were all located in the Dark Brown and Black soil zones except one irrigated site located in the Brown soil zone (Table 1).…”