The responses of five varieties and three cultivars of pea (Pisum sativum) to Rhizobium inoculation on nodulation, growth, nitrogenase activity, dry matter production and N uptake were investigated. The pea varieties were IPSA Motorshuti-l, IPSA Motorshuti-2, IPSA Motorshuti-3, BARI Motorshuti-l, BARI Motorshuti-2 and the cultivars were 063, Local small and Local white. Fifty percent seeds of each pea variety/cultivar were inoculated with a mixture of Rhizobium inoculants at rate of 15g/kg seed and the remaining fifty percent seeds were kept uninoculated. The plants inoculated with Rhizobium inoculant significantly increased nodulation, growth, nitrogenase activity, dry matter production and N uptake. Among the varieties/cultivars, BARI Motorshuti-l performed best in almost all parameters including nitrogenase activity of root nodule bacteria of the crop. There were positive correlations among the number and dry weight of nodules (r=0.987** , 0.909** ), nitrogenase activity of root nodule bacteria (r=0.944** , 0.882** ), dry weight of shoot (r=0.787** , 0.952** ), N content (r=0.594** , 0.605** ) and N uptake (r=0.784** , 0.922** ) by shoot both at flowering and pod filling stages of the crop, respectively. It was concluded that BARI Motorshuti-l in symbiotic association with Rhizobium inoculant performed best in recording nitrogenase activity, dry matter production and N uptake by pea.

• M. Khondaker
• A.R.M. Solaiman
• A.J.M.S. Karim
• M.M. Hossain