Nothing is more important for effective nodulation of legumes that the availability of sufficient numbers of an infective strain of rhizobia in the root zone of seedlings. In some cases, the soil will contain sufficient numbers of infective rhizobia but modern approaches to the use of genetically superior strains of rhizobia practically demands the use of some means of inoculation, thus raising...

When supplemented with a nutrient source and moisture, sterile finely ground vermiculite can be used to directly ferment bacterial cultures to prepare bacterial inoculants. All tested bacterial species, including Rhizobium japonicum, R. phaseoli, R. meliloti, R. leguminosarum, Bacillus megaterium, and several Pseudomonas strains, grew at least 10,000-fold in 1 week at room temperature. The fina...

Two corn hybrids (Pioneer 3377 and 3389) with similar total plant and grain yield characteristics were evaluated to determine potential differences in nutritive value of the whole plant and stover. Hybrids were grown in plots at four different locations in Idaho in 1988 and 1989 for laboratory evaluation. Samples from the plots were stored fresh or ensiled with or without a microbial inoculant ...

A culture independent method based on qPCR was developed for the detection and quantification of two fungal inoculants in soil. The aim was to adapt a genotyping approach based on SSR (Simple Sequence Repeat) marker to a discriminating tracing of two different species of bioinoculants in soil, after their in-field release. Two entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria bassiana and B. brongniartii, were...

Hay preservatives such as acids, bacterial inoculants, enzymes and other compounds, allow for hay to be baled at higher moisture levels (18-25%), thus decreasing field drying times. Baling at higher moisture means that there will be reduced in-field dry matter (DM) and leaf loss. While preservatives do not add anything in terms of nutritive value, they prevent heating and mold development if ha...

Increased plant productivity and decreased microbial respiratory C loss can potentially mitigate increasing atmospheric CO₂, but we currently lack effective means to achieve these goals. Soil microbes may play critical roles in mediating plant productivity and soil C/N dynamics under future climate scenarios of elevated CO₂ (eCO₂) through optimizing functioning of the root-soil interface. By us...

Findings from multi-year, multi-site field trial experiments measuring maize yield response to inoculation with the phosphorus-solubilizing fungus, Penicillium bilaiae Chalabuda are presented. The main objective was to evaluate representative data on crop response to the inoculant across a broad set of different soil, agronomic management and climate conditions. A statistical analysis of crop y...

Plant-microbe interactions in the rhizosphere are the determinants of plant health, productivity and soil fertility. Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) are bacteria that can enhance plant growth and protect plants from disease and abiotic stresses through a wide variety of mechanisms; those that establish close associations with plants, such as the endophytes, could be more successful in pl...

Tributyltin (TBT) is one of the most toxic anthropogenic compounds introduced into the marine environment. Despite its global ban in 2008, TBT is still a problem of great concern due to its high affinity for particulate matter, providing a direct and potentially persistent route of entry into benthic sediments. Bioremediation strategies may constitute an alternative approach to conventional phy...

The effect of 14 microbial inoculants on the fermentation and nutritive value of alfalfa silages was studied under laboratory conditions. The first cut (477 g of dry matter/kg) and second cut (393 g of dry matter/kg) of a second-year alfalfa stand were ensiled in 2 trials. In both trials alfalfa was harvested with standard field equipment. All inoculants were applied at 1.0 x 10(6) cfu/g of cro...