Maize growth and yield responses to seed‐inoculated N₂‐fixing bacteria under Dryland production conditions

Abstract

Maize (Zea Mays L.) seeds were inoculated with the N₂‐fixing bacteria, Azospirillum brasilense and Azorhizobium caulinodans. Shoot growth, shoot nitrogen (N) concentration, and grain yield was determined under dryland production conditions in a silt loam. Fertilizer N was applied according to soil test recommendations at either 0, 50, 75, or 100% of the recommended N requirements for a 7,500 kg ha^‐1 yield goal. Both A. brasilense and A. caulinodans increased shoot dry matter production, shoot N concentration, and grain yield somewhat at the lower N recommended rates. There was no agronomic benefit with either A. brasilense and A. caulinodans inoculations under dryland conditions for high N fertility soils under dryland production conditions in a subhumid or semi‐arid moisture regime.

Notes

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