Effect of phosphorus and biofertilizers on growth and yield of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merill) under rainfed condition

The experiment entitled “Effect of phosphorus and biofertilizers on growth and yield of Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merill) under rainfed condition” was conducted on research farm of College of Agriculture Latur (M.S.) during kharif season of 2015. The experimental field was leveled and well drained. The soil was clayey loam in texture, low in available nitrogen (118.86 kg ha-1), medium in available phosphorus (20.42 kg ha-1), high in potassium (385.89 kg ha-1) and slightly alkaline (pH 8.5) in reaction. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design. There were ten treatments which were replicated thrice. The treatments mainly comprised of T1- No phosphorous application, T2- 45 kg P2O5/ha through SSP, T3- 60 kg P2O5/ha through SSP, T4- 45 kg P2O5/ha through SSP + PSB, T5- 45kg P2O5/ha through SSP + Rhizobium (R.I.), T6- 45 kg P2O5/ha through SSP+ VAM, T7- 45 kg P2O5/ha through SSP+PSB+R.I., T8- 45 kg P2O5/ha through SSP+PSB +VAM, T9- 45 kg P2O5/ha through SSP+R.I.+VAM, T10-45kg P2O5/ha through SSP+PSB+R.I.+ VAM. Rainfed soybean responded positively to different phosphorus application treatments. Application of 45 kg P2O5/ha through SSP+PSB+R.I.+ VAM (T10) performed the best amongst the various phosphorus treatments evaluated with regards to growth, yield attributing characters and yield of soybean. Maximum seed yield, straw yield and biological yield was produced by application of 45 kg P2O5/ha through SSP+PSB+R.I.+ VAM(T10) which was followed application of 45 kg P2O5/ha through SSP+R.I.+VAM (T9) and 45 kg P2O5/ha through SSP+PSB+R.I. (T7) and was found significantly superior over rest of the treatments