Growth, yield and economics of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merril] as influenced by phosphorus and potassium fertilization

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to determine the Growth, Yield and Economics of Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merril] as influenced by Phosphorus and Potassium fertilization, at the Agriculture Farm of Suresh Gyan Vihar University [SGVU], Jaipur, Rajasthan, during 2022. The experiment was laid out in an FRBD (factorial randomized block design) consisting of fifteen treatments with three replications. Treatments included four levels of phosphorus (0, 30, 60, and 90 kg P ha-1) and four levels of potassium (0, 20, 40, and 60 kg K ha-1). The statistical analysis indicated that growth was significantly influenced by the application of phosphorus and potassium. It is evident from the results with the application of phosphorus of the present findings that vegetative characteristics like (plant height, branch per plant, plant dry weight number of nodules per plant, Number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, seed index, Seed yield, stover yield, biological yield), were markedly improved by the application of 60 kg P2O5 ha-1 and 30 kg P2O5 ha-1 and also remained at par with application of 90 kg P2O5 ha-1. However, the highest B: C ratio was obtained with the application of 60 kg P2O5 ha-1 which was significantly higher over control only. By and large, varying doses of phosphorus increased the nitrogen content in straw and grain, phosphorus content in straw and grain and potassium content in straw and grain up to 60 kg P2O5 ha-1. Application of phosphorus failed to cause significant variation in (plant stand, harvest index and protein content). Results further showed that application of 40 kg K2O ha-1 significantly increased the (plant height, branch per plant, plant dry weight number of nodules per plant, Number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, seed index, Seed yield, stover yield, biological yield) were markedly improved by the application of 40 kg K2O ha-1 and 20 kg K2O ha-1 and also remained at par with application of 60 kg K2O ha-1. However, the highest B: C ratio was obtained with the application of 40 kg K2O ha-1 which was significantly higher over control only. By and large, varying doses of phosphorus increased the nitrogen content in straw and grain, phosphorus content in straw and grain and potassium content in straw and grain up to 40 kg K2O ha-1. Application of potassium failed to cause significant variation in (plant stand, harvest index and protein content).