EFFECT OF INOCULATION WITH Azospirillum brasilense AND CHEMICAL FERTILIZATION ON CANOLA (Brassica napus) GROWTH AND YIELD

Abstract

Canola (Brassica napus) is a crop of recent introduction in the semiarid region of northern Tamaulipas, Mexico. Field studies were conducted during three years (2001-2003), two on dryland and other one on restricted irrigation (one irrigation). In this period the influence of inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense (Ab) and chemical fertilization (100 and 60 kg ha^-1 of N and P, respectively) (Fq), were conducted on growth and grain yield of canola (Hyola 401). In dryland 2002 the treatment Ab + 50 % of Fq was added, and under restricted irrigation in 2003 it was up to three foliar fertilization applications (Grofol®, 2 L ha^-1) (Ff), were evaluated on IMC-104 and Hyola 401 cultivars. Ab and Fq did not have any influence on aboveground biomass and grain yield in Hyola 401, and in both soil moisture conditions. In experiment in 2003 with restricted irrigation, Ab, Fq and three applications of Ff, produce an increase (P ≤ 0.05) of the above-ground biomass. These results showed that canola productivity was not influenced by Ab, Fq and Ff, under limited soil moisture conditions.