Response of dual-purpose wheat to nitrogen fertilization and seed inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense

Abstract

The use of inoculants containing plant growth-promoting bacteria is an alternative to increase the efficiency of nitrogen fertilizers. Studies evaluating the effects of inoculation on forage yield, straw yield, and grain yield in dual-purpose wheat cultivars are scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the forage yield and grain yield in dual-purpose wheat inoculated with Azospirillum brasilense and fertilized with increasing nitrogen rates during two agricultural years (2016-2017) under cutting management. The trial was carried out in a completely randomized block design with four replicates, using a 2 x 4 factorial arrangement. The factors were the inoculation (control or A. brasilense) and nitrogen rates (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg ha-1 of N). Forage, grain and straw yield, and number of tillers were evaluated. Forage yield differed between treatments with inoculation and without inoculation, 3952 and 3350 kg DM ha-1, respectively. There was no effect of inoculation on grain yield. The forage and leaf biomass yield, the number of tillers and straw yield increased with inoculation.