Legumes convert atmospheric nitrogen to usable ammonia nitrogen for the plant.
Inoculation is the process of introducing commercially prepared rhizobia bacteria into the soil.
Each legume species requires a specific species of rhizobia to form nodules and fix nitrogen. Store inoculum and preinoculated seed in a cool environment without exposure to sunlight. Inoculum packages usually are labeled with an expiration date. This relationship occurs in specialized root tissue called nodules. The relationship between the legume and rhizobia is symbiotic, or mutually beneficial.