Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) is an annual legume crop. It is widely cultivated in India, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Turkye, etc. Fenugreek plants and seeds are used in foods as a spice but are medicinal plants, too. In Bulgaria this crop is known only as a kind of spice. Fenugreek is a dryland crop but it well responds to a minimum application of irrigation. Fenugreek plants
... [Show full abstract] were grown in the condition of pot trial. The effect of inoculation with nitrogen fixing bacteria Rhizobium spp was tested in an experiment with Leached Vertisol (FAO, 2006) from Bojurishte (Sofia district) at 60% and 40% water holding capacity of the soil. Fenugreek seeds were inoculated with three Rhizobium spp strains. Different strains showed different virulence in the conditions of the trial. Rhizobium strain No333 had the highest efficiency. Results showed that fenugreek inoculation led to increased plant yield at two water regimes. The seed yield was highest at the variant with 60% WHC and No333 strain inoculation. The crude protein content in seeds was higher in plants grown at 60% water holding capacity than in plants grown at 40% WHC. The macroelement contents (P, K, Ca, Mg) in seeds did not show significant differences. The best variant of growing fenugreek inoculated with strain No 333 Rhizobium spp at 60% water holding capacity of the soil could be recommended for future experiments.