DefinePK

Abstract

This study was intended to evaluate the inoculation response of faba bean to six indigenous rhizobial isolates, 100 kg ha-1 DAP as a positive control and non-inoculated negative control under acidic field conditions at Damotu (in 2019) and Chiri (in 2020) of Ejere district, Ethiopia. The experiments were laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications and a plot size of 4 m x 3 m. The result confirmed the existence of a significant difference between treatments (p ≤ 0.05) in aboveground biomass, grain, and haulms yields. The highest grain yields (3378.3 kg ha-1 and 3286.7 kg ha-1) were obtained from inoculation of rhizobial isolate FB-EM-11 at both experimental sites. The second higher grain yields were obtained from inoculation of rhizobial isolates FB-NS-03 (3376.7 kg ha-1) at Damotu and FB-EM-07 (3269.5 kg ha-1) at Chiri. Based on the two successive years’ grain yield response, FB-EM-11(3332.6 kg ha-1) and FB-NS-03(3198 kg ha-1) were the first and the second most performing isolates at Ejere district. Moreover, from the partial budget analysis result, FB-EM-11, FB-NS-03, and FB-EM-07 were the most promising isolates that showed the higher marginal rate of return 8309%, 7344%, and 6865%, respectively. Thus, these rhizobial isolates are the best promising candidate for further verification over the farmers’ field at different agro-ecologies to identify candidates for the development of commercial faba bean rhizobial inoculants in acid-prone faba bean growing areas of Ethiopia.