Seed Inoculants

Seed inoculants are the source or suppliers of beneficial bacteria. There are some beneficial microorganisms that fix nitrogen in the soil, like rhizobium and mycorrhiza. They usually take nitrogen from the air around us; this air is usually composed of around on 75%, more or less 75%, nitrogen. Plants usually can’t utilize atmospheric nitrogen but these micro-organisms can capture that nitrogen and put them in the soil, that’s what we refer as the NITROGEN CYCLE. Once nitrogen is fixed in the soil, the plants can utilize it. Also, beneficial bacteria increase plants’ resistance that is, suppress the growth of pathogens in the soil. These pathogens cause diseases in plants. Moreover, they have a significant function of making food more readily available for plants. Basically, the soil contains organic matter that can be used as food by plants, but they can not utilize these before they have been decomposed. Introduction of inoculants also increases/boosts plants immunity to diseases by resisting diseases like bacteria wilt, clubroot, fungi (rhizoctonia, fusarium, pythium, phytophthora) and others. Ultimately, beneficial bacteria convert neutral microbes in the soil into beneficial bacteria, as their numbers upsurge, more functions are enhanced and plants stand a better chance to increase yield.

In recent agriculture, inoculation has been introduced into plants like cowpea, soyabean, rice and other vegetables. Most notable among these inoculants in our country Ghana is Rizoliq and Eco-T

Rizoliq

Rizoliq contains strains of nitrogen fixing bacteria, Bradyrhizobium sp, selected specially for their specificity, infectivity and efficiency. Its exclusive formulation allows for a high bacterial concentration in the container and on the seed. Such concentration guarantees that the radicle is infected at the time of germination, thus achieving early infection and greater nodulation in the main root. Farmers are of these benefits when they apply this product.

High load of nitrogen-fixing bacteria
Ease of use in seed treatment due to its liquid formulation
Greater biological nitrogen fixation
Increased yield potential

With application rates revolving around 200ml/100kg seeds, farmers can save a lot of cost to fertilizers and other inputs which will go far to maximize their profits through bumper harvest.

Method of Application

The required dosage is measured based on the area to be planted. The seeds are being drenched in the liquid for like 10-15 minutes to get the seeds imbibing the A.I contained in the product through the solution. Seeds are removed and air dried under shade. Seeds are then planted on the field with their required spacing and left to grow.

Evidence of the benefits from using Rizoliq Soy in Soybean.

Eco-T

A naturally occurring fungal species from the genus Trichoderma. It acts as a fungal inoculant for enhanced nutrient mobilization and plant growth. It contains an active ingredient Trichoderma asperellum kd. Another specie of Trichoderma is herzianum which all act as mycorrhiza (association between plant roots and fungi). Treated seeds stand a chance of resisting infections from pythium, phytophthora, rhizobium and fusarium) while they are in their tender stage (nursery). Eco-T has a concentration of 2 x 109 spores/g with a dosage rate of 250-750g/ha or 1-40g/kg (seed treatment).

It usually comes in two formulations, namely;

Wettable powder (WP): seed coating and liquid application.
Easy Flow: dry powder formulation for seed treatment, can be added directly to seed hopper, while planting row crops. It also has a value-added graphite /talic lubricant for mechanical planters.

What is Trichoderma?

They are free-living filamentous funghi naturally present in soils and other habitats that establish lasting root surface colonization.

Mode of Action

The genus Trichoderma comprises a great number of fungal strains that act as biological control agents, the antagonistic properties of which are based on the activation of multiple mechanisms. Trichoderma strains exert biocontrol against fungal phytopathogens either indirectly, by competing for nutrients and space, modifying the environmental conditions, or promoting plant growth and plant defensive mechanisms and antibiosis, or directly, by mechanisms such as mycoparasitism. These indirect and direct mechanisms may act co-ordinately and their importance in the biocontrol process depends on the Trichoderma strain, the antagonized fungus, the crop plant, and the environmental conditions, including nutrient availability, pH, temperature, and iron concentration. Activation of each mechanism implies the production of specific compounds and metabolites, such as plant growth factors, hydrolytic enzymes, siderophores, antibiotics, and carbon and nitrogen permeases. These metabolites can be either overproduced or combined with appropriate biocontrol strains in order to obtain new formulations for use in more efficient control of plant diseases and postharvest applications.