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Discoveries in Agriculture and Food Sciences (DAFS) Vol 10, Issue 4, August- 2022

Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom

INTRODUCTION

Right behind cereals, legumes are the second most important source of human food and animal

forage [1, 2]. It is through nitrogen fixation that legumes provide plant tissues which is high in

protein leguminous plant are important in maintaining the health of soils, legumes are plant

that have nodules on their root which fix the nitrogen from the atmosphere to help the plant.

Legume plant such as beans, peas, pulses have rhizobium bacteria in their roots [3]. these

bacteria have the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen in to plants usable form of nitrogen, hence

requires less in organic fertilizers [4, 5]. For some year now, our soils are becoming infected

and even very poor in microorganism causing cowpea plant not to attain maximum yield [6].

With the pre occupation of knowing if inoculation could be a helping factor in this situation, we

had as general objective:

Testing different methods and the effects of Inoculating bio fertilizers made from rhizobial

bacterial with cow pea seeds

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Localisation of the Study Area

This study was carried out in the lowlands of Cameroon, specifically in the center region. It has

and average rain fall ranging between 700 and 2200 throughout the year and varied

temperatures with altitude.

Relief and Soil Type

Various types of reliefs were observed in the area of experimental plots such as: hills, plains,

plateaus, this relief brings about a good and equilibrium exchange of temperature in the center

compared to other towns. This atmospheric condition gives the soil a two-profile structure

which is: ferralitic and hydro morphic soils which are good for Agriculture

Technical Materials

• Cow pea seeds: this is the basic item which will be planted with inoculated material.

• Rhizobium bacterial: it is the leaving organism which is inoculated with the seeds.

• Rhizobium substrate: this are dry plants which are used as substrate for the bacterial.

• Grey powder: it is a dust made by grinding shells of snales.

• Phosphorus solubilizing microbes: this are microorganism which are use alongside with

bacterial during inoculation

• Canopy: this is an instrument used as a support material on which the soil is dry and

weight.

• A rake: it is an instrument used when drying the soil.

• Plastics bags: this are small plastics bags of 10 kg in which soil is mixed and put for

planting of seeds. An electronic balance to measure the different weights of treatment

material.

• A table: this is used as a support for the plastics bags with growing seeds, to avoid the

direct contact of the plastics bags with the ground.

• Watering can: it is an instrument in which liquid are put and use, when necessary, on

the field.

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Second, Z. M. A., Aoudou, Y., & Yvonne, F. N. (2022). A Comparative Study on Different Methods of Inoculating Cowpea Using Microbial Fertilisers.

Discoveries in Agriculture and Food Sciences, 10(4). 39-46.

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/dafs.104.13871

• Trowel: it used to facility the filing of plastics bags with soils.

• Plastics cups: these are smalls cups in which the mixing of seeds with ingredients is

done.

• Weighing machine: it is use to weigh the various ingredients to be use.

Methods

Seeds Rhizobium Substrate:

5g of seeds were used for 2 g of Rhizobium substrate. They were put in a plastic cup and mix

with 1 ml of water.

Seeds Rhizobium Alone:

In this set up, we used 5g of seeds were used for 2 g of Rhizobium substrate. They were put in

a plastic cup and mix with 1 ml of water.

Seeds Rhizobium and Grey Powder:

In this set up, we used 5g of seeds were used for 10 g of grey powder. They were put in a plastic

cup and mix with 1 ml of water.

Seeds Rhizobium and PSM (Phosphor Solubilizing Microbes):

5g of seeds were used for 2 g of PSM. They were put in a plastic cup and mix with 1 ml of water.

Seeds Alone:

5g of seeds were measured and planted directly in the plastic bags containing treated soil.

Seeds and Grey Powder:

In the last set up, we used 5g of seeds were used for 10 g of grey powder. They were put in a

plastic cup and mix with 1 ml of water. Below is a figure showing the inoculated seeds;

Procedure for Setting Up Trial:

Six treatments were carried out with 8 seeds per plastic bag making a total of 48 seeds. The cow

pea seeds were weight (5g of seeds for 2 g of substrate were mixed in plastic cups with the

absence and presence of various inoculated material, so as to see the different effects at growth.

The soil was prepared by taking 200g of black soil and mixing with 50kg of Sanaga sand giving

us a total amount of 250 kg of prepared and treated soil. Each plastic bag, was fill with 5 kg of

soil.

Experimental Design

The trial was arranged in an orderly manner with six factors of origin. Each cow pea set up and

treatment had as experimental unit the gram (g).

Data Processing and Statistical Analysis

The graphics were produced with the Excel spreadsheet. Primary data were subjected to

analysis of variance (ANOVA). The calculated mean values of the variables were subjected to

the T-multiple comparison test (p ≤ 0.0001)