Presentation: 2025 ND EPSCoR Annual conference 

October 21, 2025, NDSU Memorial Union, Fargo, North Dakota

Efficacy of Microbial Inoculants on Yield of Lakota Winter Squash Planted with Hidatsa Red Beans

Continued global population growth and climate change has put pressure on food supplies creating an increased interest in food sovereignty among Tribal Nations. Modern farming overuses chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides impacting normal soil nutrient cycling. The use of commercial microbial soil inoculants has increased in recent years and are effective at increasing yields but are relatively expensive. This research aims to assess the efficacy and persistence of microbial inoculants on yield of Lakota Winter Squash (LWS) companion plated with Hidatsa Read Beans (HRB). Vermicompost, a commercial microbial inoculant, and a compost generated using Korean Natural Farming (KNF) protocols were compared against each other and control during the summer of 2025 growing season. Soil samples were obtained throughout the summer to assess the consortium of soil microorganisms that were present. A leaf spectrophotometer was used to monitor and compare nitrogen status of LWS. Soil bacteria metagenomics were determined by 16S ribosomal sequencing of isolated DNA. Initial results suggest that the microbial inoculant obtained through KNF methods will give the greatest yield. Leaf spectrophotometer data indicates that the commercial microbial inoculants resulted in lower nitrogen availability to the plant. The vermicompost inoculated groups presented with the most stress and least growth, but the compost was superior to all other treatment groups.