Each legume requires a specific bacterium, usually a rhizobia inoculant, to help the plant fix its own nitrogen. Once nodules form on the plant’s roots, these little factories can provide much of the nitrogen the crop needs, but farmers must make several decisions at sowing time to ensure good nodulation. There are also critical times to evaluate how active the nodules are.
In this episode of Pulse School, Amber Bell from RealAgriculture joins Nicole Fox from BASF to discuss different inoculant formulations, application techniques, where to look for nodules, and how to assess nodule health.
There is a risk of nodulation failure in some situations, so understanding the proper handling of inoculants and choosing the right type – liquid, in-furrow, peat or granular – is key to success, says Fox.
Although root nodules fix most of the nitrogen needed by the crop, soil testing and starter fertilizers are still valuable tools because root nodules don’t begin to fix nitrogen until 3-4 weeks after sowing.In addition, legume crops require sufficient phosphorus and other nutrients that may be lacking in the soil profile.
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