Growth and Yield of Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] as Influenced by Organic Manures and Superabsorbent Polymers
Qasimullah Ryan *
Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Shaikh Zayed University, Khost, 2504, Afghanistan.
K. N. Geetha
Department of Agronomy, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru, 560065, India.
Rahmatullah Hashimi
Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Shaikh Zayed University, Khost, 2504, Afghanistan.
Rafiq Atif
Department of Agribusiness Management, Faculty of Agriculture, Shaikh Zayed University, Khost, 2504, Afghanistan.
Sylvestre Habimana
Department of Crop Sciences, College of Agriculture, Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Rwanda, Busogo, Rwanda.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: The study aimed to assess soybean response to organic manures and superabsorbent polymers along with recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF: 25-60-25 kg N-P2O5-K2O ha-1).
Study Design: The experiment was tested with a randomized complete block design (RCBD).
Place and Duration of Study: The field experiment was carried out during 2017-2018 at Zonal Agricultural Research Station (ZARS), All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on soybean, University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), GKVK, Bengaluru-560065, Karnataka, India.
Methodology: The field experiment was having eight treatments with three replications. The treatments comprised RDF in combination with farmyard manure (FYM) at the rate of 3.0 t ha-1, potassium polyacrylate at the rate of 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0 kg ha-1, pusa hydrogel, humic acid and vermicompost at the rate of 7.5 kg ha-1, 3.0 kg ha-1 and 3.0 t ha-1, respectively.
Results: The results revealed that RDF with potassium polyacrylate at the rate of 7.5 kg ha-1 recorded significantly higher with respect to growth parameters viz., plant height (74.6 cm), number of branches plant-1 (14.2), leaf area (2394 cm2 plant-1) and total dry matter (57.3 g plant-1) and yield attributes like number of pods plant-1 (58.4), seed weight plant-1 (28.62 g), seed yield (2707 kg ha-1), stalk yield (4370 kg ha-1) and harvest index (0.38). The net returns (Rs. 68255 ha-1) and B:C ratio (3.58) were also recorded higher in the treatment having potassium polyacrylate at the rate of 7.5 kg ha-1 and RDF.
Keywords: Soybean production, RDF, organic manures, superabsorbent polymers.