Effect of Methods and Rates of Lime Application and Different Phosphorus Levels on Growth and Yield of Soyabean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill

Effect of Methods and Rates of Lime Application and Different Phosphorus Levels on Growth and Yield of Soyabean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill

Abstract:

A field experiment was conducted at the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR) Farm, Ahmadu Bello University, Samaru Zaria, during the 1995 wet season to study the effect of methods and rates of lime application and different phosphorus levels on the growth and yield of soyabean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill). The treatments comprised of two methods of lime application (broadcasting and banding) and three levels each of lime (0,500 and 1000 kg lime/ha) and phosphorus (0, 20 and 40 kg P/ha). Band method of lime application significantly increased leaf area index, number of primary branches, number of nodules, and Ca concentration in soyabean shoot while broadcast method significantly increased N concentration in soyabean shoot, number of pods per plant, pod yield per plant, total dry matter per plant, total dry matter per hectare and grain yield per hectare. However, the two methods were not significantly different on number of leaves, leaf dry weight, stem dry weight, nodule dry weight, plant height, number of days to 50% flowering, number of days to physiological maturity,100-seed weight, number of seeds per pod, shelling percentage, harvest index and P concentration in soyabean shoot. Lime levels significantly influenced grain yield, growth and yield components with exceptions of leaf dry weight, number of days to 50% flowering, number of days to physiological maturity, shelling percentage and P, Ca and N concentrations in soyabean shoot. The grain yield was increased with lime application up to 500kg lime/ha but a further increase at 1000kg lime/ha was not significant. The optimum level of lime for maximum grain yield was 780 kg lime/ha. Phosphorus fertilization significantly increased grain yield, growth and yield components with exception of harvest index which was significantly reduced by P application. The grain yield was increased with increasing P levels up to 40kg P/ha. The optimum rate of phosphorus was 3 5.4kg P/ha. Application of phosphorus significantly increased P concentration in soyabean shoot, however, phosphorus application had no significant influence on Ca and N concentrations in soyabean shoot. A significant phosphorus rate and lime level interaction on grain yield showed that the combined application of 40kg P/ha and 1000kg lime/ha gave the highest grain yield while a significant phosphorus rate, lime level and method of lime application interaction showed that the combined application of 4 0kg P/ha and broadcasting or banding 1000kg lime/ha gave the highest yield. Highly significant and positive correlations were obtained between grain yield and all parameters tested except shelling percentage and harvest index that were not significant

Effect of Methods and Rates of Lime Application and Different Phosphorus Levels on Growth and Yield of Soyabean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill

Sharing is caring!