Field inoculation of wheat and maize with a liquid formulation of Azospirillum brasilense in the Pampas, Argentina

DÍAZ-ZORITA, MARTÍN; BALIÑA, RAFAEL M; FERNÁNDEZ CANIGIA, MARÍA VIRGINIA; PENNA, C; PERTICARI, ALEJANDRO

Seatle, WA

Congreso; ASA, CSSA, SSSA Annual Meetings Abstracts; 2004

ASA, CSSA, SSSA

Beneficial effects of inoculating with Azospirillum brasilense on crop productivity has been widely described. However, field inoculation of grain crops in extensive production systems is not well documented. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of on-seed inoculation with a liquid formulation of Azospirillum brasilense strain Az39 on early growth and grain production of 160 wheat and 45 maize farmer´s crops in the Pampas region, Argentina. The study was performed during the 2002/03 and 2003/04 growing seasons under regular crop management practices. In most of the sites, the inoculation with this liquid formulation increased the root and shoot early growth and the grain number of the crops. Averaged over the 2 growing seasons, on-seed inoculation increased wheat and corn grain yields by 286 kg ha-1 (8 %) and 394 kg-1 (5 %), respectively. These effects were independent of the crop management practices (N and P fertilization, on-seed fungicide treatments, etc.) and production areas within the Pampas. In general, more response to the inoculation was described in the absence of major crop growth limitations (i.e. drought, diseases, etc.). The use of this liquid formulation providing Azospirillum brasilense contributes increasing wheat and corn grain yield in production systems from the Pampas region, Argentina.