Effects of liming and phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizer on nodulation and yield of beans ( Phaseolus vulgaris )

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out in a red yellow podzolic soil (Series Itaguaí) using a 3³ factorial with incomplete blocks and partial confounding of the components X and Y in the second grade interaction. The nitrogen treatments were nil, inoculation and 40 kg/ha of N. The application of mineral nitrogen, phosphorus and lime increased bean yield significantly. The effect of lime and phosphorus was linear. The relative increases where 51.6% and 47.7% for mineral nitrogen in relation to inoculation and check respectively, 36.3% and 35.1% for 80 and 160 kg P₂O₅ respectively and 16.7 and 22.9% for 1 and 2 t/ha of lime. Nodule dry weight was increased by phosphorus and lime but the correlation between nodule weight and grain yield was not significant. Nitrogen and phosphorus content of the plants at flowering time was highly correlated with grain yield, in the absence of lime. Plant growth until flowering was affected by the phosphorus treatments only.