Effect of inoculation of salt tolerant Rhizobium on nodulation and leghaemoglobin content of soybean

A field experiment was conducted with a view to see the effect of inoculation of salt tolerant Rhizobium on nodulation and leghaemoglobin content of soybean at Post Graduate Institute, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri (M.S) during the year 2015-2017. Legumes and the process of nodule initiation are both more sensitive to salinity than are rhizobia Both N-2 fixation activity and nodule respiration were inhibited sharply on exposure of plants to saline condition. The decrease in N2 fixation has been ascribed to direct effect on nitrogenase activity or an indirect effect to decrease in leghaemoglobin content, respiratory rate, malate concentration, nodules and altered their ultrastructure. Treatment T-7 (Liquid consortium + 100 % N) was singnificantly superior in number of effective nodules over rest of treatments however it was at par with treatment T-6 (Liquid consortium + 75 % N). It was also found that treatment T-7 (Liquid consortium + 100 % N) significantly superior in number of non-effective nodules over rest of the treatments however it was at par with treatment T-6 (Liquid consortium + 75 % N). The treatment absolute control recorded the least number of effective and highest number of non-effective nodules during flowering and harvesting stages respectively. The treatment T-7 (Liquid consortium + 100 % N) was significantly superior in Leghaemoglobin content of nodule over rest of all the treatments and it was at par with treatment T-6 (Liquid consortium + 75 % N). The treatment absolute control recorded the least in Leghaemoglobin content of nodule at 45 and 60 days. So there need to isolate strains and inoculation of salt tolerant Rhizobium which will enhance the nodule formation in legume crops.