TITLE:
Influence of Cross-Inoculation on Groundnut and Bambara Groundnut-Rhizobium Symbiosis: Contribution to Plant Growth and Yield in the Field at Sarh (Chad) and Ngaoundere (Cameroon)
AUTHORS:
Doloum Gomoung, Mbaiguinam Mbailao, Steve Takoukam Toukam, Albert Ngakou
KEYWORDS:
Bambara Groundnut, Groundnut, Growth, Rhizobia, Cross-Inoculation, Yield, Chad, Cameroon
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.8 No.8,
July
28,
2017
ABSTRACT: In the context
of sustainable research aiming at improving seed yield and maintaining soil fertility,
a study on cross-inoculation of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and
Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranean (L.) Verd.) with rhizobia
strains from four crop legumes was carried out at Sarh (Chad) and Ngaoundere (Cameroon).
The experiment was conducted in each site following a randomized complete block
design with 6 treatments known as the control, and 5 cross-inoculation formulations
(RA, RN, RS, RV and MR), each of which was replicated thrice. Results obtained show
that cross-inoculation contributed to the improvement of growth (plant sizes and
biomasses) of the two crop legumes, as well as their seed yield at harvest. The
enhanced yield expressed in kg/ha varied from 9.83% to 63.73% for groundnut and
72.71% for Bambara groundnut. These findings suggest that groundnut and Bambara groundnut do have a symbiotic affinity with rhizobia
from other crop legumes. Whereas Groundnut, Cowpea, Soybean, Bambara groundnut
rhizobia (GR, CR, SR, BR) alone, and the fourth in a mixture (RM) could be used
to help improving groundnut seed yields; this mixture would not be
indicated for intensive cultivation of Bambara groundnut later.