Inoculant formulation and fertilizer nitrogen effects on field pea: Nodulation, N2 fixation and nitrogen partitioning

Field pea (Pisum sativum L.) acreage has expanded rapidly in the past 10 yr in the Peace River Region of Alberta as well as western Canada. Understanding nitrogen dynamics of Rhizobium inoculants and applied N will provide farmers opportunities to improve N nutrition of field pea. Field experiments were conducted (a) to compare the effects of soil inoculation using granular inoculant, and seed inoculation using peat powder and liquid inoculants with an uninoculated check, on field pea nodulation and N2 fixation, and (b) to determine whether starter N is required by field pea to enhance N2 fixation. The effects of inoculant formulation on nodule number, N accumulation and N2 fixation were in the order: granular > peat powder > liquid = uninoculated. Field pea, from soil-applied inoculant, accumulated more N prior to and during podfilling than field pea with seed-applied inoculant. Fertilizer N application rates < 40 kg N ha-1 had no significant effects on biomass N at flatpod, indicating that starter N was not necessary. Application rates greater than 40 kg N ha-1 reduced nodulation, but the total amounts of N accumulated by plants did not vary. The close proximity of a highly concentrated band of N fertilizer had a greater impact on nodulation and subsequent N2 fixation than the residual soil N level. Under field conditions, soil-applied inoculant improved N nutrition of field pea compared to seed-applied inoculation, with or without applied urea-N. Key words: Granular inoculant, Pisum sativum, Rhizobium, inoculation, field pea, nodulation, N2 fixation