The use of inoculants for all pulse and soybean crops is a standard accepted practice to maximize plant performance and crop yield. Trilex® AL, which has been extensively tested by inoculant companies, has proven to have one of the highest compatibilities between fungicidal seed treatments and rhizobium-based inoculants.
Compatibility is measured by assessing the inoculant survival on untreated seed vs. treated seed and it varies with seed treatment brands. Seed treatment fungicide compatibility is influenced by specific formulations of both the fungicide and the inoculation material and application method. For example, slurry application versus sequential and/or simultaneous applications.
When using a combination of seed treatment fungicide and inoculant, always consult inoculant product labels and company compatibility fact sheets for the various methods fungicides can be applied in conjunction with inoculants to pulse crops. The inoculant manufacturer’s recommendations should always be followed in regards to seed treatment fungicide compatibility and the recommended planting interval after application. Studies (Matus et al. 2004) show that when applied as recommended, seed treatments have no significant effect on rhizobium and the capacity to fix nitrogen. Granular inoculants provide the highest level of compatibility as they are separated from the seed, providing maximum protection to the rhizobium.