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Nodulation score3AControl Soil Mo Prim Mo Prim Mo +Rhiz210Porsha Gomostapur Tanor All sitesSiteGrain yield (t ha –1 )1.21.00.8BControl Soil Mo Prim Mo Prim Mo +Rhiznsns0.60.40.20Porsha Gomostapur Tanor All sitesSiteFig. 4. Effect on the nodulation (A) and grain yield (B) of chickpea of adding molybdenumto the soil and molybdenum and Rhizobium to the priming water at three sites in the HighBarind Tract of Bangladesh. Data from 2003-04 season.the HBT (Fig. 1) and its ability to reduce risk of crop failure (Musa et al 2001). Goodcrop establishment is an absolute prerequisite for obtaining good yields.A lack of molybdenum in the relatively acidic surface layers of HBT soils hasbeen clearly established (Fig. 2) and we have demonstrated that chickpea respondspositively to the addition of Mo to soils (Fig. 3), with a synergistic effect of providingMo together with Rhizobium. However, the high cost and practical difficulty of addingMo to soils is a problem for resource-poor farmers in the HBT. Seed priming seemsto provide a useful vehicle for supplementing Mo and Rhizobium relatively easily andat a reduced cost (Figs. 4 and 5; Johansen et al 2005a).130 Harris et al