Response of soybean to levels and sources of sulphur on growth and yield under mid - hill conditions of Himachal

Abstract

A field experiment was laid out at Palampur during Kharif 2015 to study the response of soybean to levels and sources of sulphur under mid - hill conditions of Himachal Pradesh. The treatments comprising of all possible combinations of three levels of sulphur viz. 20, 40 and 60 kg /ha and four sources of sulphur viz. SSP, Gypsum, Elemental sulphur and Epsom salt along with absolute control and 100% NPK + 10 t FYM/ha. The result revealed that growth, yield attributes, seed and straw yield of soybean increased with the application of S upto 40 kg/ha. Higher dose of sulphur could not significantly influence growth, yield attributes and seed and straw yield of soybean. The response per kg S apply was 14.5 kg of soybean grain. Among the sources of sulphur gypsum gave the better response in terms of growth, yield attributes and seed and straw yield of soybean over the other sources. Gross returns (78959 ₹/ha), net returns (37360 ₹/ha) and B: C (1.91) ratio was significantly higher at 40 kg S/ha. Gypsum gave highest gross returns (75086 ₹/ha), net returns (43998 ₹/ha) and B: C ratio (2.11).