Can I use any inoculant?
No. Inoculants contain rhizobia, which are only compatible with specific pulse crops. Ensure that the inoculant that you purchase is recommended for the crop you are planting. The rhizobium species Rhizobium leguminosorum is compatible with field pea, lentil and fababean. Chickpea and dry beans are compatible with R. ciceri and R. phaseioli, respectively. However, even when the same species can cause nodulation of more than one type of pulse crop, specific strains of the rhizobium have different nodulation effectiveness. For that reason, inoculants are formulated using the best strain for specific crops. Hence, single strain inoculants contain only one strain considered the best for a specific crop. Other formulations, referred to as mixed, contain a strain intended for use on more than one crop. In this case, the manufacturer incorporates the best strains for the intended crops.
