EVALUATION OF VERMICOMPOST AND RHIZOBIUM INOCULATION ON NODULATION, YIELD, AND YIELD TRAITS OF COMMON BEAN (PHASEOLUS VULGARIS L.) VARIETIES AND SELECTED SOIL PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES AT MESKAN DISTRICT, GURAGE ZONE, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

The study was conducted at Meskan district of Gurage Zone to evaluate the effects ofvermicompost and Rhizobium inoculation on nodulation, yield, and yield traits of common beanvarieties and selected soil physico- chemical properties during the 2022 main cropping season.A factorial combination of three Vermicompost(VC)rates (0, 4, 8 t ha-1), two common beanvarieties (SER-125 and Hawassa Dume), and Rhizobium inoculation (Inoculated andUninoculated) were laid out in RCB design in factorial arrangement with three replications.Representative soil samples from each plot were taken after harvest from the depths of 0-30cmand were analyzed for VC effects on soil physico-chemical properties. The N difference methodwas used to quantify biological nitrogen fixation. Growth and yield parameters were taken. Thedata were analyzed using SAS software Version 9.4.