Physiological Response of Soybean Plants to Seed Coating and Inoculation under Pot Experiment Conditions

Abstract

Improved seeds are increasingly being sown in agricultural practice. Such treatments play different roles depending on the substances used. They most often protect seeds and sprouts from abiotic and biotic stresses, but not only. Coating technology is one of the methods of seed improvement, requiring the selection of appropriate components. The purpose of the pot experiment was to test the efficacy of two coatings (C and D) and a commercial inoculant (B) applied to soybean seeds (cultivar Mavka). It was shown that the best option was the combined use of coating and inoculation (C + B or D + B). A significantly higher number of germinated seeds, nodulation, green fodder mass, green fodder protein content, and some physiological parameters of plants were obtained compared to control (A). Applying only the tested coatings (C or D) resulted in the lack of nodulation on roots and slight changes in plant physiological parameters. Sowing seeds with inoculant (B) or control seeds (A) accelerated plant emergence but reduced the number of properly formed sprouts compared to coated seeds. The results confirmed that the tested soybean seed coatings were effective, but in combination with inoculation.