Bacterial Inoculation Method Expected to Boost Agricultural Yields

Turkey's important agricultural production center Şanlıurfa is aiming to increase soybean yields by 20 percent through bacterial inoculation methods, according to work being conducted by the GAP Agricultural Research Institute Directorate (GAPTAEM). Thanks to irrigation investments carried out under the Southeast Anatolia Project (GAP), the city has seen an increase in sown areas for cotton and corn as well as wheat, barley and red lentils, while efforts are underway to promote different crops. Within this framework, with support from the General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies, GAPTAEM's Field Crops Department Senior Agricultural Engineer Halil Hatipoğlu has implemented the "Project on the Effects of Nitrogen and Bacterial Inoculation Applications on Yield and Some Quality Parameters of Soybean Grown as a Second Crop."

At the Serince Research Station affiliated with the institute, seeds of the "Gapsoy 16" soybean variety registered in 2016 were inoculated and brought into contact with soil.

Through inoculation, small nodules containing bacteria form in the plant's root zone, enabling the plant to access sufficient nitrogen and thereby increasing yield and quality. Hatipoğlu, noting that they first prepared the soil for sowing, stated: "Before sowing, we inoculated soybean seeds with liquid bacteria. We applied liquid bacteria to 50 kilograms of seed at a rate of 150 milliliters per 50 kilograms and applied 4 kilograms per decare of pure nitrogen and phosphorus together with sowing. We continuously monitored the planted crop and observed that after approximately 45 days, nodosities (nodules, small capsules) containing bacteria began to form on the roots. The greatest benefit of bacterial inoculation is that we will not use excessive fertilizer. Through these bacteria, nitrogen from the air is bound to the plant root, making it easy for the plant to access nitrogen. Thus, we believe that as the plant accesses sufficient nitrogen, we can achieve an increase of approximately 20 percent in yield," he said. Emphasizing that the bacterial inoculation method in legumes will prevent excessive fertilization, Hatipoğlu noted that this will increase organic matter in soils, protect groundwater from the effects of excessive fertilization, and reduce fertilizer costs, which are a significant expense. Noting that the institute conducts production of soybeans both as certified seed and as a commodity, Hatipoğlu said: "Through our work, we want to include soybeans and legumes in the crop pattern in our region, and ensure that these crops have a place in crop rotation. Additionally, the agricultural credit cooperatives feed factory opened in our region provides purchase guarantees for soybeans. Soybean planted as a main crop can also be used as silage feed, a type of feed that animals like to eat. We desire for this crop to become widespread in the Harran Plain, in our region, and in our country. As a country, our soybean production meets only 5 percent of our needs, and we are forced to import the remaining 95 percent. For this reason, through our inoculation work, we aim to reduce soybean imports by increasing yield and quality." GAPTAEM Director Zeyni Aktaş also stated that through their work they aim to increase crop diversity, yield and quality. Noting that the "Gapsoy 16" soybean variety, which they previously registered, has high yield compared to its counterparts and that yield will increase further through the bacterial inoculation method, Aktaş said, "Our soybean variety has an oil content of 18-24 percent, protein content of 40-43 percent, and yield of 400-600 kilograms per decare in the main crop and 250-350 kilograms in the second crop. We are trying to increase this yield further. At our institute, main crop soybean sowing was carried out on 80 decares and second crop on 140 decares. Of these sowings, 60 decares will be used for certified seed, while the remaining 160 decares will be evaluated as production." Source