Bean plants.

The nitrogen-fixing ability of rhizobial strains isolated and characterized in an earlier project were further studied in the greenhouse in 2014. Nitrogen-fixing ability and plant-growth promoting ability of the rhizobium bio-inoculants were deduced from plant biomass, nitrogen content and carbon content of plant analysis data. As a result, effective nitrogen-fixing bacteria (bio-inoculants) were selected for common bean and soybean plants (three strains for each plant species) to be tested in the field in Ethiopia. This field trial is being undertaken in collaboration with experts at South Agricultural Research Institute, Hawassa, Ethiopia. Preliminary results indicate that plants receiving the new inoculants were in better condition during the drought striking Ethiopia in 2015.

In the experimental fields of Southern Agricultural Research Institute Daniel Markos and Gennet Getachew have established field trials at two sites, Halaba and Gards, with rhizobia that were isolated from legumes growing in Ethiopia and characterized and tested in Finland.

Pictures from October 2015:

Inoculated bean and soybean plant showing good growth despite severe draught.

Treatments in Halaba (common bean)

Treatments in Halaba (soybean)