Extension/Research Information

Effect of Soybean Inoculation on Grain Yield in Ohio in 2001

Jim Beuerlein
Department of Horticulture and Crop Science
The Ohio State University

           Seven years of soybean inoculation evaluation consisting of 49 field trials and over 2600 research plots indicate that inoculating soybeans is a very profitable practice.  Although the results have not always been positive, the long-term result is a profit of over 400 percent.  For most inoculation products, a yield increase of half a bushel per acre (30 pounds of grain) is profitable and yield increases of 2 to 7 Bu/Ac have been common
            Since 1995 the inoculation of soybean seed in Ohio has increased from a few thousand acres to nearly 2.5 million acres.  The primary reason for the rapid increase in use of inoculation materials is that over time their use has been consistently profitable.  Testing has been conducted in fields with a corn-soybean rotation, having good fertility and an appropriate soil pH.  One would expect either very low or no response to inoculation where those conditions exist.
            In 2001 we continued our evaluation of inoculation materials by testing fourteen different products at six sites in Ohio.  The seed of a Roundup Ready variety, Ebberts E1311RR, was pretreated with fungicides to control disease and we applied the inoculation materials in the field at planting.  The previous crop was corn at all six-test sites, the soil fertility was adequate for high yields, and the soil pH was in the appropriate range.  Eight replications of each treatment were used.  Tables 1 and 2 contain the results of that test:  

Table 1:  Effect of Soybean Seed Inoculation on Grain Yield Increase (Bu/Ac) over the
Untreated Check at Six Test Sites in Ohio in 2001.  

Company Material N1 N2 C1 C2 S1 S2 6-Loc. Mean
Trace

Nito Fix

 2.5 4.2 2..9 0.0 3.9 1.2 2.3
Urbana Nod + 4.6 0.6 0.9 1.5 0.5 1.4 1.6
Urbana Mega Prep 4.3 0.2 2.6 1.1 4.3 2.8 2.6
Urbana Nod+ 30 1.8 2.2 3.8 4.3 1.8 1.2 2.5
LIPHATECH Cell-Tech 2000 1.7 2.6 0.9 3.2 3.1 2.3 2.3
LIPHATECH NitraStick S 0.9 3.4 2.4 0.0 3.7 3.4 2.3
MicroBio HiStick 2 4.1 0.3 4.0 1.5 5.0 3.3 3.0
MicroBio MicroFix 2.4 2.3 2.9 1.3 2.1 1.3 2.0
Loveland RIZO-LIQ* 0.7 1.6 1.9 6.1 1.1 4.6 2.7
Loveland SowFast 1.7 0.4 0.7 2.6 1.8 2.1 1.6
Agribiotics Pulser 1.6 2.2 2.3 2.5 1.8 0.2 1.8
Agribiotics Power Pack 2.8 1.6 2.6 3.0 0.5 2.1 2.1
BioAg Soya Signal/Initiate 3.5 3.0 1.1 3.0 1.7 1.2 2.1
Site Mean Increase 2.6 2.0 2.2 2.1 2.4 2.1
Site Mean Yield 44.2 58.3 60.1 64.4 61.6 62.1 58.5
* Available in 2003

.

 

Table 2:  Profit ($/Ac) Generated by Inoculating Soybeans Seed at Six Test Sites in Ohio in 2001.
Company Material N1 N2 C1 C2 S1 S2 6-Loc Mean
Trace Nitro Fix 10.97 19.47 12.97 (1.53) 17.97 4.47 $10.72
Urbana Nod+ 20.97 0.97 2.47 5.47 0.47 4.97 $5.89
Urbana Mega Prep 17.64 (2.86) 9.14 1.64 17.64 10.14 $8.89
Urbana Nod+30 5.82 7.82 15.82.472 18.32 5.82 2.82 $9.40
LIPHATECH Cell-Tech 2000 6.86 11.36 2.86 14.36 16.20 8.36 $10.00
LIPHATECH NitraStick S 3.42 15.92 10.92 (1.08) 17.42 15.92 $10.42
MicroBio HiStick 2 17.44 (1.56) 16.94 4.44 21.94 13.44 $12.10
MicroBio MicroFix 9.24 8.74 11.74 3.74 7.74 3.74 $7.49
Loveland RIZO-LIQ* 2.30 6.80 8.30 29.30 4.30 21.80 $12.08
Loveland SowFast 6.03 (0.47) 1.03 10.53 6.53 8.03 $5.28
Agribiotics Pulser 5.88 8.88 9.38 10.38 6.88 (1.12) $6.71
Agribiotics Power Pack 12.41 6.41 11.41 13.41 0.91 8.91 $8.91
BiosAg SoyaSignal/Initiate 13.65 11.15 1.65 11.15 4.65 2.15 $7.40

Table 3:  Comparative Information for Soybean Inoculation Products tested in Ohio in 2001.

Product Name

Formulation

 Cells/gm. (ml) Product App. Rate/ 80# seed Cost ($)/ 80# seed Days Viable on seed
Treated Untreated
Nod+ Liq.

3 X 109

3.4 oz $2.03 (4-24 hr.) 1
Mega-Prep Dry 2 X 109 3.5 oz $3.86 7 7
Nod+ 30 Liq. 3 X 109 3.4 oz $3.18 1-7 30
HiStick 2 Dry 4 X 109 2.2 oz $3.06 1-2 1
MicoFix Dry 2 X 109 2.2 oz $2.76 1-2 1
Cell-Tech 2000 Liq. 2 X 109 3.4 oz $1.64 1-2 4
NitraStik S Dry 2.5 X 109 5.1 oz $1.34 1 1
Nitro-Fix Liq. 2 X 109 3.3 oz $1.53 1 2
RIZO-LIQ* Liq./Dry 2 x 109 3.4 oz $1.20 1 1
SowFast Dry 2 X 109 2.8 oz $2.47 1 1
Initiate/SoyaSignal Liq. --------- 0.8 oz $3.85 128 28
Pulser Dry 2 X 109 6.1 oz $2.12 (4 hr.) (4 hr.)
Power-Pack Liq./Dry 1 X 1011 See Label $1.59 (4 hr.) (4 hr.)

 

Observations and Recommendations:

            Dry and liquid formulations of a product appear to perform similarly.  Inoculated seed should be planted as soon as possible after treatment (12 hours or less) so the bacterial cells will remain moist and survive long enough to infect soybean roots following germination.  Inoculate the seed as it is loaded into the drill or planter.  If not planted within 12 hours, reinoculation is often warranted.  Excessively wet or dry periods following planting have decreased inoculation performance

            When applying a fungicide or using fungicide treated seed, be sure the fungicide has dried before applying inoculums to the seed.  Currently, most inoculation products may NOT be mixed with fungicides and applied to the seed together. One exception is that liquid formulations of inoculum may be mixed with ApronMaxxRTA fungicide and applied together.  Work is underway to develop formulations of fungicides that can be premixed with inoculation materials and applied together at planting.

           When loading a drill or planter using an auger, liquid or dry inoculation materials should be added to the seed as it enters the auger for thorough application.  When loading a planter or drill from bags, fill the seed box to a depth of three inches and scatter an appropriate amount of inoculum over the seed and mix thoroughly.  Continue to add seed in six-inch layers, treating each until the box is filled. With some dry materials it may be necessary to slightly moisten seed to increase adherence. A few small specks of inoculum on each seed are adequate.  At the recommended use rate, there will be up to 1,000,000 bacterial cells on each seed.  Excessive application of inoculation material is expensive, will likely not increase yields more than the recommended application rate, and could cause seed metering problems.

  

New products:

            Most companies are exploring the development of liquid inoculation products that can be applied up to thirty days before planting using commercial seed treating equipment.  Nod+ 30 is one of these products and it will be available in 2002.  However, Nod+ 30 is not compatible with most fungicides for more than 24 hours and thus has no advantage over the Nod+ formulation in Ohio where all seed should be treated with fungicides to control root rot diseases.  The preinoculant product HiCoat 35 (performed well in 2000 trials) maintains viability for 35 days when applied as a tank mix with ApronMAXX RTA or Bean Pak.

 

Go to Ohio Crop Performance

12/2001
    All educational programs and activities conducted by Ohio State University Extension are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, gender, age, disability or Vietnam-era veteran status.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Keith L. Smith, Director, Ohio State University Extension.


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