Effects of soybean variety and Bradyrhizobium strains on yield, protein content and biological nitrogen fixation under cool growing conditions in Germany

Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) is able to fix atmospheric nitrogen in symbiosis with the bacteria Bradyrhizobium japonicum. Because these bacteria are not native in European soils, soybean seeds must be inoculated with Bradyrhizobium strains before sowing to fix nitrogen and meet their yield potential. In Central Europe soybean cultivation is still quite new and breeding of early maturing soybean varieties adapted to cool growing conditions has just started.