Abstract

Fifty seven Rhizobium isolates were retrieved based on infection method from different faba bean growing areas of North and South Gondar, Ethiopia. In sand culture, only 35.5% of isolates showed nodulation. Analyses of variance indicated that inoculation of isolates improved tested traits significantly (p< 0.05) at all measured investigated parameters such as shoot length, shoot dry weight, and plant total nitrogen as 11, 28 and 31.3%, respectively, over nitrogen treated plants, 2, 10 and 29.4% respectively over standard Rhizobium and 55, 82.3 and 85.7% respectively over negative control treatments. Shoot dry weight was found to be strongly positively correlated with symbiotic effectiveness (r = 0.994, P <0.01). Based on symbiotic effectiveness, 80% of the tested isolates were found to be highly effective, 13% effective and only one isolate less effective. Therefore, there is a need for detail study of effective isolates tested under field conditions and molecular characterization for better classification.

Key words: Authentication, Legumes, Nitrogen fixation, Rhizobium, total nitrogen.