Response of chickling vetch [lathyrus sativus L] and forage peas [pisum spp] to inoculation with rhizobium leguminosarum in north Sinai coastal soils

ABSTRACT

Field experiments were conducted in sandy soil at Rafah, north sinai, to study the performance of two Rhizobium leguminosarum strains [TAL 634 and F9] with vetch, grasspea [Lathyrus sativus] and forag peas [Pisum spp.]. Inoculation of both crops with these strains, either singly or in combination, induced significant increases in plant dry weight, N2 fixation and seed yield. No significant differences, in plant N content or seed yield, were obtained between the two rhizobial strains and/or their mixtures for both crops. The competitive ability of inoculant strains differed with the host plant. Strain TAL 634 was more competitive than strain F9 with chickling vetch. In double strain inocula, strain TAL 634 occupied 40% of nodules versus 15% for F9. With forage peas, strain F9 was more competitive than strain TAL 634. The strain F9 occupied 45% of nodules versus 30%for strainTAL634