To understand the effect of nitrogen and inoculation on vigour (NDVI), nodulation score, grain yield and seed weight of lentils and field peas at Barellan in 2022.

• The soil was a brown sandy loam with pHCa 5.2, Colwell phosphorus 44 ppm and total nitrogen (0–60 cm) 52.9 kg N/ha. The pulse crop grown was lupins in 2016.
• The addition of 40 kg/ha of nitrogen at sowing (broadcast and incorporated by sowing, IBS) increased the early vigour of lentils (as measured through NDVI on 2 and 31 August) but had no effect on the vigour of field peas.
• Acid tolerant rhizobia resulted in improved nodulation compared to both standard peat and nil inoculant treatments in lentils. In the field peas, both the acid tolerant rhizobia and standard peat had better nodulation than the nil inoculant treatment.
• There was no effect of inoculant treatment or N application on grain yield of lentils. Field pea grain yield was higher in both the standard peat and acid tolerant rhizobia treatments than in the uninoculated treatment. The addition of nitrogen at sowing also increased field pea yield.