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The effect of Rhizobium inoculation on white clover in improved hill soils in the United Kingdom

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

P. Newbould ,
A. J. Holding ,
G. J. Davies ,
Anne Rangeley ,
G. J. F. Copeman ,
A. Davies ,
J. Frame ,
A. Haystead ,
J. B. D. Herriott  and
J. C. Holmes
...Show all authors
P. Newbould
Affiliation:
Hill Farming Research Organisation, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian, EH26 OPY.
A. J. Holding
Affiliation:
The Edinburgh School of Agriculture, Microbiology Department, King's Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JG.
G. J. Davies
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Council Unit of Statistics, University of Edinburgh, James Clerk Maxwell Building, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh, EHd 3JZ.
Anne Rangeley
Affiliation:
Hill Farming Research Organisation, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian, EH26 OPY.
G. J. F. Copeman
Affiliation:
North of Scotland College of Agriculture, 581 King Street, Aberdeen, AB9 1 UD.
A. Davies
Affiliation:
Welsh Plant Breeding Station, Plas Gogerddan, Near Aberystwyth, SY23 3EB.
J. Frame
Affiliation:
West of Scotland Agricultural College, Auchincruive, Ayr, KA6 5HW.
A. Haystead
Affiliation:
Hill Farming Research Organisation, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian, EH26 OPY.
J. B. D. Herriott
Affiliation:
East of Scotland College of Agriculture, King's Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JG.
J. C. Holmes
Affiliation:
East of Scotland College of Agriculture, King's Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JG.
J. F. Lowe
Affiliation:
The Edinburgh School of Agriculture, Microbiology Department, King's Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JG.
J. W. G. Parker
Affiliation:
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Agricultural Development and Advisory Service, Great House Experimental Husbandry Farm, Helmshore, Rossendale, Lanes, BB4 4AJ.
H. A. Waterson
Affiliation:
West of Scotland Agricultural College, Auchincruive, Ayr, KA6 5HW.
J. Wildig
Affiliation:
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Agricultural Development and Advisory Service, Pwllpeiran Experimental Husbandry Farm, Cumystwyth, Aberystwyth, SY23 4AB.
J. P. Wray
Affiliation:
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Agricultural Development and Advisory Service, Redesdale Experimental Hiisbandry Farm, Rochester, Olterburn, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE19 ISD.
D. Younie
Affiliation:
North of Scotland College of Agriculture, 581 King Street, Aberdeen, AB9 1 UD.
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Summary

The benefits to establishment and growth of white clover cvs Aberystwyth S.184 and Grasslands Huia of inoculation with three strains of Rhizobium trifolii, using the peat or liquid inoculum techniques, were investigated during 1975–8 on improved hill soils ranging from brown earth through dry and wet peaty podzol to deep peat.

Inoculation induced positive response in either number of seedlings, plant cover or dry-matter production in 18 out of 139 comparisons, had no effect in 118 and produced a negative response in three. Most of the positive responses to inoculation were at sites with wet peaty podzol or deep peat soils but of the five sites where increase in clover D.M. production was found in the first harvest year one was a brown earth. The positive agronomic responses occurred only when the proportion of plants with nodules was high and where a substantial proportion ( > 50%) of the latter contained introduced Rhizobium strains at least in the year of sowing. The three negative responses were in numbers of seedlings on one brown earth and two dry peaty podzol soils and with the Huia cultivar only. Despite lack of statistical significance at individual sites the dominant overall trend was for inoculation to enhance seedling establishment and the early growtli of white clover in all soil types.

On one brown earth and one dry peaty podzol soil there was some evidence that spraying the Rhizobium on to emerging white clover seedlings was more beneficial, atleast in microbiological terms, than the customary peat inoculum procedure.

The incorporation of even a small amount of nitrogen (30 kg/ha) into the seed bed at the time of sowing adversely affected germination, establishment and growth of white clover in some soils. Sometimes the effects of this nitrogen persisted into the first harvest year.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 99 , Issue 3 , December 1982 , pp. 591 - 610
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1982

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