Legume Inoculation for Organic Farming Systems

What Is Inoculation?
Legumes growing together with soil bacteria called rhizobia work together to take
atmospheric nitrogen (N2) found in soil air spaces and transformor fixit into a plantavailable form through the process called Biological Nitrogen Fixation (BNF) (Fig. 1). Even
though the atmosphere is almost 80% N, the N2 gas is such that plants can't use it for their
own growth and development unless it is fixed. However, neither legumes nor the rhizobia
can do the job alone. The process must occur as part of a mutually beneficialor symbiotic
relationship with soil-dwelling rhizobia bacteria. Rhizobia form root nodules on the host
legume, thereby providing the plant with transformed N in exchange for a portion of the
carbohydrates made by the plant.

Figure 1. Biological Nitrogen Fixation provides nitrogen fertility in legume-based cropping

systems. Figure credit: Nape Mothapo, North Carolina State University.
In order for BNF to occur, certain things need to happen. First, because there are many types
of rhizobia, the right type of rhizobia to form nodules with your particular legume must be in
contact with the growing legume root. Additionally, the rhizobia must be efficient in fixing
atmospheric N, and, of course, they must be alive! The application of the recommended type
of bacteria to the seed or soil prior to planting is called inoculation. With so much to take into
account to produce a strong healthy legumerhizobia relationship, successful inoculation can
seem daunting. This document will introduce you to legume inoculation and recommend
proper inoculation methods for certified organic growers. Readers can view related articles
for additional information on general soil fertility in organic farming systems and soil
microbial nitrogen cycling in organic farming systems.
Two ways to help provide your grain, forage, or cover crop legume with the N it needs for
growth and development are: (1) make sure your legumes are well nodulated, and (2) verify

that nodules contain effective rhizobia. The presence of nodules alone does not ensure that N
is being actively fixed. Some rhizobia are ineffective, meaning that they can form nodules, but
do not fix nitrogen. To check for effective rhizobia and nitrogen fixation in the field, dig out
several plants and wash root systems in water to remove soil. Then select 23 nodules from
each plant and slice them in half. Nodules that have pink or red interiors indicate that the
rhizobia are hard at work fixing nitrogen, while greenish or white interiors contain ineffective
rhizobia. Inoculation of your seeds prior to planting is one proven way to have the correct type
of bacteria present within the vicinity of the legume's growing root.
When is it Necessary to Inoculate?
Species specificity and cross inoculation groups

Figure 2. Well-formed nodules on the root system of a vetch plant. Photo credit: Julie
Grossman, North Carolina State University.
Rhizobia bacteria are picky little critters and are fairly specific about which legume species
they will select as a host to form nodules. It is important that you purchase the correct type of
bacteria for your legume seed. Some species of rhizobia can infect more than one species of
legume. For example, peas and vetch all form nodules with the rhizobia species Rhizobium
leguminosarum, while true clovers are all infected by R. trifolii. The groups of legumes
infected by the same rhizobia are called cross-inoculation groups (Table 1.). Sometimes the
correct type of bacteria that can form nodules with the legume you are planting is already
present in the field. In order to ensure that the correct type of bacteria is ready and waiting
for your germinating seed in the soil, farmers commonly practice inoculation with specific
groups of bacteria recommended for your legume type.

Table 1. Cross-inoculation groups of legumes and rhizobia.

Manufacturers
Legume group inoculation
Rhizobia species
group code
Alfalfa
and A
Rhizobium meliloti
sweetclover
True clovers
B
R. trifolii
Peas and vetch
R. leguminosarum
C
(true)
Soybean
S
Bradyrhizobium japonicum
Birdsfoot trefoil K
R. loti
Crownvetch
M
Rhizobium spp.
Is Inoculation of My Legumes a Requirement for Good Growth?
Inoculation is recommended when the field has no past history of growth of your particular
legume, or when you have a high value crop for which you want to ensure successful growth.
Often, inoculant rhizobia can remain viable in the soil without the presence of a legume for
years, and then be ready to form nodules when its host plant is sown. Field history that
includes a legume can increase the soil rhizobia population and result in improved nodulation
(Mothapo et al., 2011). Specifically, inoculation is recommended if the field has been out of
host plant production for 35 years, or never planted to the host. Further, inoculation can help
increase rhizobia populations in fields with unfavorable environmental conditions for the
bacteria's long-term survival, such as pH below 6.0, extremely sandy soils, or periodicallyflooded conditions. Past history that includes a diversity of legume speciescommon in
organic systemshas been shown to increase the diversity of rhizobia types present in the
field (Grossman et al., 2011).
How Do I Inoculate My Legumes?
Take care of your inoculantsthey are alive!
Inoculants come in many forms, but the most common is as a bacteria-infused peat that has a
black, dust-like appearance. The bacteria on the peat particles may not look like much, but
they are indeed alive, and should be treated with care. Although peat has been shown to
mediate unfavorable conditions such as high temperatures and long storage times, certain
precautions are necessary in order to increase inoculant effectiveness.
Inoculant packages come with an expiration date that should be heededuse of an inoculant
past its expiration date could mean that you are adding bacteria to your seed that are not
alive or healthy. Treat the inoculant as you might treat a living organismdont leave it in the
sun for extended periods of time, and store it in a cool dry place when not in use, such as a
refrigerator. Many manufacturer recommendations offer a suggested temperature of 40F.
Inoculants can be added to the soil or directly to your seed prior to planting.
In direct-soil application, granular inoculants can be added to the soil via the fertilizer box of
a standard planter or drill, as long as the box has no history of substances prohibited in

organic production, or the box is thoroughly cleaned prior to use. Flow of the inoculant should
be calibrated in order to ensure a steady flow of material to the field. Frozen concentrated
and liquid inoculant cultures are also available. In this case, the frozen cultures should be
thawed and diluted according to manufacturers' directions and added to a water tank for field
application in the seed row. Field application of inoculants requires more volume of inoculant
to be added than seed-applied, in order to ensure the inoculant comes in contact with your
legume seed.
In seed-applied inoculant, a more common practice among small-scale organic producers, the
bacteria is mixed with the seed prior to planting. Seed should not be mixed in a small space
such as a planter box, but instead on a large surface where all of the seeds have the
opportunity to come into contact with the inoculant. Suggested places for mixing your seed
include the bed of your pickup truck, a tarp on the ground, or in a tub.
Stickersadhesives that can be used to ensure that the peat inoculant adheres to your seed
are commonly used to ensure good contact between the seed and bacteria. Research has
shown increase in nodulation when stickers are used. Stickers can be commercially purchased
or made at home using dilutions of milk or molasses (1 part sticker to 10 parts water is
common). To use a sticker, mix seeds with just enough sticker to moisten the seeds, then add
the inoculant to the moistened seeds. Be careful not to add too much liquid or the moisture
could cause premature germination of your seeds. Air dry your seeds in the shade, then plant
within 24 hours. Air drying the seeds will keep the moist seeds and inoculum from adhering to
and plugging up your planter. If planting is not possible immediately after inoculation,
inoculate again. Some seed comes pre-inoculated with a sticker. This type of inoculant should
be treated with the same precautions as other types.
How Much Inoculant Should I Use?
The amount of inoculant to add to your seeds or field often depends on the length of time
that has elapsed since the field was last inoculated. For new plantings, follow the inoculant
manufacturer's directions on the package. Some farmers have found that after an initial
inoculation event no inoculation is necessary in future years for good nodulation to occur. No
general recommendation can be provided regarding survival of rhizobia in a field after a
single inoculation event, as survial depends on individual field conditions such as soil type,
pH, soil moisture, and rhizobia type.
What are the Precautions for Organic Farming Systems?
Growers should be aware of specific issues when using purchased inoculants in organic
production of grains, cover-, and forage crops. Of interest to certified organic growers is the
prohibition on the use of genetically modified organisms, ionizing radiation, or sewage sludge
in the production of the inoculants. Some inoculants are produced using recombinant DNA
technologysuch inoculants cannot be used in organic production.
The Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) is a non-profit organization that provides
external review of products for use in organic systems. When the OMRI review panel approves
both the active and non-active (inert) ingredients of a product for compliance, then the
product becomes OMRI-listed and can display an "OMRI-approved" label. A critical part of

organic certification is maintenence of inoculant supply company documentation that

provides inoculant ingredients, or certifies OMRI approval. Many companies have issued such
information as written responses that are available through the internet (for
example, http://intxllc.com/). Various OMRI-approved inoculants are produced by Becker
Underwood, and INTEX microbials. A full list of OMRI-approved inoculants can be found on
the OMRI website
IMPORTANT: Before using any input product in your organic farming system, make sure that
the brand name product is listed in your Organic System Plan and approved by your USDAapproved certifier. Note that, although OMRI and WSDA lists are good places to identify
potentially useful products, all products that you use MUST be approved by your USDAaccredited certifier. For more information on how to determine whether a product can be
used on your farm, see Can I Use This Input on My Organic Farm?