Effects of some Nigerian Bradyrhizobium inoculants on the performance of three cowpea cultivars (Vigna unguiculata) in two field plots

Summary We assessed the effectiveness of three locally made lignite, subbituminous coal and cowmanure-based cowpea Bradyrhizobium inoculants in comparison with a peat-based imported Bradyrhizobium incoculant in a two-field plot investigation. The local inoculants were prepared by incorporating three rhizobia strains (Ife CR9, Ife CR15 and Bradyrhizobium japonicum) into each of the above carrier materials and were used to inoculate three cowpea seed varieties: TVU 1190, IT 82E-60 and Ife brown. With lignite-based He CR9 inoculated into TVU 1190 seeds, total N content of the plants was 178.6 mg/plant compared with only 64.3 mg/plant for the uninoculated nitrate-free control plants. With Nigerian lignite, sub-bituminous coal and cow manure as carriers for cowpea rhizobia, the cowpea yield of the inoculated plants increased by 72%, 54% and 10%, respectively, compared with uninoculated plants, while the peat-based inoculant gave a 25% increase in cowpea yield. With lignite-based Ife CR9 inoculated into Ife brown seeds, total N content of the plants was 149.1 mg/plant, but with inoculation by lignite-based B. japonicum, total N content of the treated Ife brown plant was 132.4 mg/plant. Thus, the native Ife CR9 strain seems to be slightly better adapted to tropical conditions than the imported B. japonicum.