Imperial Valley press., 1939-12-24

Will ~ Vic AAS 1 II Nollli al -"
lstration on vetch in Imperial
have focused consider
Fable attention on the practice of
inoculating legumeS. The fact. how
ever, that incubation pays on the
above legumes does not necessarily
prove that incubation is necessary
for all others. particularly for alfal-
ia.
Only repeated trials of legume
inoculation on local farms will def
initely tell with which legumes this
practice is necessary and with which
it is not.
While sometimes effective with
legumes incubation has never benz
Gifted non-legumes alone. altho
non-legumeS are benefited when
grown in association with legumes
that are either naturally or arti-
ficially inocuiated. Legume bac-
terra are of number of kinds or
species. Some species cause nodules
to form on the roots of a wide
range of leguminous plants. whereas
others are only capable of function
ing on one or a few species Of le-
gumes.
Certain bacteria. even tho pro-
ducing nodules are of no benefit to
the plants. Ii nodule bacteria from
one kind of legume produces nod
ules upon another kind. and vice
versa. the organisms of the two
plants are said to cross-inoculate
Cross-inoculation tests have shown
group relationships among the bac-
teria of the common legumes.
GROUPINGS of legumes which pro-
duce nodules with the same race
of bacteria are: ID The vetch
group. including the vetches, gar
den, field, and sweet peas. horse
bean, and lentil; co alfalfa group
including alfalfa, sour clover, burr
clover, Hubam clover, biennial
sweet clovers, and fenugreek; 90
The cowpea group including cow
peas, blackeye beans, lima bean,
peanut, tepary bean, and others;
(4) the garden and navy bean group
and (5) the soy bean group. 1t
should be understood that effic-
iency in fixing nitrogen is largely
due to delicate adaptation of the
organisms to particular host.
1t should not be taken for granted
that the organism of any of the
species represented will be equally
satisfactory for all the legumes
in group. Whenever available
culture containing strains specific
for the particular legume should be
used. II they are not available
the relationship shown in the FORE
going groups is useful.
Proved Profitable
In relating local experience to
the above classification it may be
said that i,1oculation has proved
profitable with vetch and peas in
the vetch group but thus far in
trials in both Imperial Valley and
Arizona has not increased the pro-
duction of alfalfa in the alfalfa
grour Further trials are needed
in both of these groups and partic-
ularly in the COW pea, soy bean
and garden bean groups.
Soils may be inoculated either
by the use of soil from field
where the particular legume has in
the past shown nodules on the
roots or by the use of a commercial
culture. A leaflet of information
regarding the use of soil may be
secured from the farm advisors
office. Directions for the use OF
commercial culture are provided
on the packages by the manuac-
turers of the product Bacteria
cultures ordinarily are sold in moist
carriers, such as peat, and are ap-
piled to seed with the addition OF
water. Drying is detrimental to
these organisms. Hence after in
oculation prompt planting is nee
essary. Inoculants for use without
water have been sold but have not
been found to be consistently sat-
isfactory.