Fertilizers and Inoculants Effects on Soybean Yield and Yield Components

Abstract

Abstract 

Soybean (Glycine max L.) has been a significant source of plant origin proteins for both the livestock feed and humans industries for many years. Soybean yield is low in smallholder farms in Afghanistan. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of DAP, nitrogen fertilizer and Rhizobia on soybean yield and yield components performance.  To achieve this objective, field experiments were conducted, using a randomized complete block design, with three replications, different levels of fertilizers, inoculant and control as well. Soybean responded remarkably to the added nitrogen, phosphorus sources fertilizers likewise bio fertilizer. The crop characters were significantly influenced by these treatments.

Grain yields varied from 465 kg ha^-1 to 2532.8 kg ha-¹ in control treatment to 595 kg ha^-1. Analysis of variance was applied to find the effects of different levels of DAP, N and Rhizobia in yield and yield components of soybean. The results revealed that there was no significant differences in pod length, pods per plant, seeds per pod and 100 grain-weight at 5% level. The result of yield showed a significant difference at 1% level. Based on the results a positive correlation (0.15366) was between 100 grains weight and grain yield.  There was a significant difference in days to flowering and plant height among treatments, the longest days to flowering was detected in Rhizobia treatments as well as the shortest days to flowering in DAP treatments. The amount of chlorophyll concentration was measured using SPAD 502, there was no a significant difference among treatments. It was ranged from 2.67 to 3 mg in all treatments. Cluster analysis using UPGAM was applied to determine the effects of different types of fertilizers on soybean agronomic relationship. Based on this analysis all treatments were classified in to three groups.   This study’s novelty is using rhizobia in Afghanistan.