01823naa a2200169 a 450000100080000000500110000800800410001910000230006024501240008326000090020752012980021670000190151470000170153370000170155070000200156777300660158714583821992-11-16       1991    bl ---       0--  u    #d1 aZABLOTOWICZ, R. M.  aIn-furrow spray as a delivery system for plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria and other rhizosphere-competent bacteria.  c1991  aA series of greenhouse and field experiments were conducted to evaluate aqueous in-furrow spray techniques for inoculating crop plant with cell suspensions of rhizosphere-competent root-colonizing bacteria. Maximum root colonizations of soybean or canola roots by strains of Serrati, Pseudomonas, and Bradyrhizobium occurred using log 8 colony-forming units (cfu)/mL in the spray in greenhouse conditions. Field experiments evaluating a dose reponse demonstrated that maximum soybean root colonization by strains of serratia or Pseudomonas was achieved between log 7 and 8 cfu/mL, while root colonization by a Baccillus strain was not related to cell concentration in the spray suspension. Root colonization greater than log 4.5 cfu/g root fresh weight was achieved for most strains by in-furrow spray application of a suspension of log 8 cfu/mL at a rate of 10 mL/m for canola, soybean, and wheat, while root colonization of corn ranged from a mazimum of log 3.4 to no recovery. In-furrow spray may be a useful method for inoculating plants with rhizosphere-competent bacteria for expsrimentl purposes, thereby avoiding interactions of formulation. It may also have some value for commercial delivery of bacteria to agricultural crops when it is compatible with accepated agronomic practices.1 aTIPPING, E. M.1 aSCHER, F. M.1 aIJZERMAN, M.1 aKLOEPPER, J. W.  tCanadian Journal of Microbiologygv.37, n.8, p.632-636, 1991.