Studies on competition, persistence, and methods of application of a peanut rhizobium strain NC 92

In field trials at Patancheru, Andhra Pradesh in 1981-3, the competitive ability of native soil Rhizobium (10²-104 cells/g dry soil) with the inoculant strain NC 92 for groundnut nodulation was studied. Strain NC 92 was detected in 25-40% of the nodules formed although this was reduced when NC 92 was mixed with other strains. When seeds were treated with fungicides, soil application of Rhizobium in a peat carrier was more effective than seed inoculation. An inoculation rate >104 cells/seed was required for successful nodulation by NC 92. The inoculated strain survived in the soil for the following seaso