Abstract

A greenhouse experiment was conducted on soybean in black sandy loam soil and inoculated either with Rhizobium japanicum and Glomus intraradices singly or in combination with low (40 kg P 2 O 5 ha -1 ) and high (80 kg P 2 O 5 ha -1 ) levels of P. Soybean plant samples were analyzed for plant nutritional, biochemical and enzymatic changes. The results revealed that combined inoculation of Rhizobium and mycorrhizal fungus favorably increased all the nutritional, biochemical and enzymatic characteristics which contributed for the increased grain yield of soybean 10-25 per cent depending on the level of P added. This study suggests that tripartite association assists in improving the yield and nutritional qualities of soybean besides maintaining soil fertility.

Keywords: Glomus intraradices, Rhizobium, soybean, phosphorus