Soybean inoculation with Azospirillum argentinense improves nodulation, grain yield, and alleviates the incidence of Fusarium at field with drought stress

• Published in: Journal of crop improvement 2024-11, Vol.38 (6), p.591-617
• Main Authors: Martínez, Cristina V., González, Victoria, Ploper, L. Daniel, Pedraza, Raúl O.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural practices; Agricultural production; Azospirillum; Biotechnology; Crop resilience; Crop yield; Disease; Drought; Environmental conditions; Farm buildings; Field tests; Fungal diseases; Fungi; Fusarium; Glycine max; Inoculation; Nodulation; PGPB; phytopathogenic fungi; Plant diseases; Resilience; Rhizobia; Root rot; SDS; Soybeans; Sudden death syndrome
• ISSN: 1542-7528; 1542-7536
• DOI: 10.1080/15427528.2024.2378358

The efficacy of Azospirillum argentinense REC3, applied by seed inoculation, in enhancing soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) nodulation with native rhizobia, improving grain yield, and protecting against Fusarium fungi was studied. In La Cruz, Tucumán, Argentina, 23 fungal isolates were identified as F. oxysporum (2 strains), F. solani (2), and F. tucumaniae (19). Following soil infestation, only F. tucumaniae was confirmed as a phytopathogen, with REC3 inhibiting its mycelial growth. Greenhouse trials, for a duration of 30 days, showed significant reductions in disease severity (78.2%), root rot (32.3%), and disease incidence (50.9%) in plants susceptible to sudden death syndrome (SDS) when REC3 was applied. Field experiments (2018-2019; January-April) under drought stress conditions, displayed increased nodulation (37.2%) and grain yield (2077 ± 272.8 kg ha −1 , p