EFFECT OF RHIZOBIUM INOCULATION, NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS APPLICATION ON THE GROWTH, YIELD AND NODULATION OF SOYBEAN (Glycine max L.)

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at the farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh during the period from January 2018 to May, 2018 to study the effect of Rhizobium inoculation, nitrogen and phosphorus application on the growth, yield and nodulation of soybean (glycine max L.). The experiment comprised of three factors viz. Factor A: Rhizobium inoculation; Factors B: Levels of Nitrogen (3 levels)- viz. 0, 25 and 50 kg N ha -1 denoted as N 0, N 25 and N ; Factor C: Levels of Phosphorus (2 levels) – viz. 0 and 40 kg P ha -1

denoted as P 0 and P 50 40 P 0 : 0 kg P ha -1 . The three factors experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The highest plant height (51.64 cm

and 68.18 cm), number of leaves (17.13 and 24.17) and branches plant -1 (4.07

and 10.50) at 30 DAS and 60 DAS respectively were also observed in RI 1 N 2 P 1 treatment combination. The highest weight of dry shoot (2.93 gm plant ), dry root (0.66 gm plant -1 ) and total plant weight (11.88 gm plant -1 ) were respectively in RI 1 N 2 P treatment. The application Rhizobium inoculant along with N and P showed positive effect on the number of pods plant 1 -1 , number of seed pod -1 , number of seeds plant -1 , 100 seed weight (gm), seed wt. plant -1 (gm) grain yield (t ha -1 ) and stover yield (t ha -1 ). The maximum number of nodule plant -1 (49.64), size of effective nodule (3.60 mm in diameter) were observed in RI 1 N 2 P treatment. The highest seed yield ((2.06 t ha -1 ) was observed from RI 1 N 2 P 1 1 treatment which was statistically similar with RI

treatment. It may be concluded that application of 25 kg N ha -1 & 90 kg P ha along with rhizobium inoculation can be more beneficial for the farmers to get maximum yield.

-1 -1 1 N 1 P 1