Enhancement of soybean nodulation by Bacillus cereus UW85 in the field and in a growth chamber

Abstract

Seed treatments with Bacillus cereus UW85 increased nodulation of soybeans in three field seasons and in three different sterilized soils in the growth chamber. In the field, 28 and 35 days after planting, UW85-treated plants had 31 to 133% more nodules than untreated plants. From 49 days after planting until seed harvest, there were no significant differences between nodulation of UW85-treated plants and untreated control plants. In the growth chamber, in sterilized soil-vermiculite mixtures, at 28 days after planting, UW85 seed treatments enhanced nodulation by 34 to 61%, indicating that the increase in nodulation was not dependent on the soil flora.