INOCULATION OF Rhizobium japonicum AND J3- SITOSTEROL EFFECT ON GROWTH, YIELD AND SOME BIOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF SOYBEAN PLANT

The study was conducted to determine the effect of using Rhizobium
incculation (0, 20, 40 g kg" seeds) and J3-sitosterol (0, 10, 20, 40 mgL") on nodes
number/plant, root and shoot mass, biochemical contents of roots, leaves and seeds
of soyb-ean (Glycine max L.). These treatments or their interaction revealed
significant improvement on the studied characters. Node number per plant
significantly increased by Rhizobium inoculation (20 gkg") at flowering stage or
J3-sitosterol (40 mgL") at vegetative stage. A combination of Rhizobium inoculation
(20 gkg·¹) and p-sitosterol (20 mgL·¹) resulted in significant increases in node
number per plant at vegetative and flowering stages. Rhizobium inoculation (20 gkg·¹)
or J3-sitosterol (40 mgL·¹) caused the highest effect on fresh and dry mass for root
and shoot per plant. However, the maximal seed yield per plant was obtained in
response to 10 mgL" J3-sitosterol. Also, the interaction between Rhizobium
inoculation (40 g kg·¹) and J3-sitosterol (40 mgL·¹) resulted in the maximal values of
root and shoot mass at seed filling stage, which led to significant increase in pod
number per plant. Total sugar content in the roots and leaves were increased in
response to Rhizobium inoculation (40 g kg") or J3-sitosterol (40 mgL·¹) as well as
when both treatments used together. However, biochemical contents such as free
amino acids, protein phenols and indoles were floaculated within and between
roots and leaves of soybean, which led to varied seed biochemical contents.