Abstract:
In Ethiopia, snap bean is an important vegetable crop with high nutritional value, which is
grown as a cash crop by large and small scale farmers for local and export markets. However,
the yield of the crop is constrained by a number of factors including lack of improved varieties,
poor soil fertility and inappropriate Rhizobium inoculation. Therefore, a field experiment was
conducted to identify suitable varieties and Rhizobium strains for growth and productivity
improvement of snap bean at Woramit research site of Amhara Agricultural Research Institute
(ARARI) from February to May in 2023. The experiment consisted of 4 (four) varieties (Plati,
BC 4.4, Ampere, and Pop Varend Seed) and 2 (two) Rhizobium strains (EALHB- 429 and HBA15) including the control laid out in 4x3 factorial arrangements in RCBD with three
replications. The phenological, growth, and yield related parameters were collected and
analyzed using R software (version 4.1.3). The analysis of variance showed that variety and
Rhizobium inoculation significantly influenced most of the tested parameters of snap bean. Plati
and BC 4.4 varieties performed well in most of the tested parameters of snap bean, such as
number of pods per plan1
, pod length and pod diameter, marketable green pod yield, and total
green pod yield, compared to other tested varieties. Inoculation of plants with HBA-15 and
EALHB-429 strains increased the growth and yield parameters of snap bean. HBA-15 (9.52 t
ha-1
) and EALHB-429 (8.84 t ha-1
) Rhizobium strains increased the total green pod yield by
79% and 66%, respectively, compared to the control (without Rhizobium inoculation)
treatment. Nodulation had a strong and positive relationship with the marketable and total
green pod yield of snap bean. Interaction effect of Rhizobium inoculation and varieties interact
to influence leaf area index, number of nodules plant-1
, number of pods plant-1
and effective
nodules. Therefore, it is concluded that Plati and BC 4.4 varieties and HBA-15 and EALHB429 Rhizobium strains, are considered a promising technologies to enhance the production of
snap bean in Bahir Dar Zuria district and areas with similar agro-ecology. As the study was
conducted in a single location and season, it is also recommend repeating the experiment in
multi-location and seasons.