%0 Journal Article %T Morpho-Physiological and Biochemical Characterization of Soybean-Associated Rhizobia and Effect of Their Liquid Inoculant Formulation on Nodulation of Host Plants in the Cameroon Cotton Fields Zone %A Gilbert Rongoumi %A Souleymanou Adamou %A Yoradi Nadjilom %A Doloum Gomoung %A Takoukam Steve Toukam %A Albert Ngakou %J American Journal of Plant Sciences %P 812-827 %@ 2158-2750 %D 2023 %I Scientific Research Publishing %R 10.4236/ajps.2023.147054 %X The aim of this research was to assess the diversity of the Cameroon cotton zone in soybean associated rhizobia in order to formulate the most efficient elite inoculant to boost both the cotton and soybean production. Therefore, soybean associated rhizobia were isolated and characterized morphologically, physiologically and biochemically on YEMA culture media. For each of the two soybean varieties (Houla1 and TGX1910 14F) used, the trials were laid out in two IRAD-fields of North Cameroon (Sanguere-Paul) and Far-North (Soukoundou) respectively, under a complete randomized complete block design, the isolate formulations representing the treatments. The six isolated strains (IS1, IS2, IS3, IS4, IS5, IS6) from which seven liquid inoculant were formulated were revealed to belong to the same slow growing group of rhizobia, with a high level of tolerance to temperature, pH, and salinity, with optimum growth at respectively 28˚C, pH (7 - 9), salt (1% - 5%). Not surprisingly, root nodules were formed by both inoculated and uninoculated soybean plants. However, the most efficient soybean-rhizobia symbiosis for nodulations were isolate IS6 associated to TGX1910 14F variety, and isolate IS5 associated to Houla1variety at Sanguere-Paul. Whereas isolate M was associated to TGX1910 14F variety, Houla 1 variety had affinity with native rhizobia isolates at Soukoundou. The present results suggest the adaptability of rhizobia isolates to a particular soybean variety at a particular cotton fields zone. These findings should be taken into consideration for commercial inoculant formulation. %K Isolation %K Morphologic Characterization %K Soybean-Associated Rhizobia %K Nodulation %K Cameroon Cotton Zone %U http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=126546