Effect of site-specific nutrient management on growth indices of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) under mid hill conditions of Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the rainy (kharif) season of 2018 at Palampur, Himachal Pradesh to study the effect of site-specific nutrient management on soybean (Glycine max L). The experiment was laid out in randomized block design comprising of seven treatments [T1 - N43P43K50 (SSNM), T2 - N43P43K0 (T1-K omission), T3 - N43P0K50 (T1- P omission), T4 - N0P43K50 (T1- N omission), T5 - N20P60K40 (RDF), T6 - FYM@5t/ha (Farmer’s Practice alone. It is applied to the field along with RDF, even 5 t FYM supplies only 25 kg N and meagre amount of P, So, this treatment is acceptable and T7 -N0P0K0 (control)]. The soil of experimental site was silty clay loam in texture, acidic in reaction, low in available nitrogen, and medium in available phosphorus and potassium. Site specific nutrient management (N43P43K50) resulted in significantly higher values of plant height, dry matter accumulation, absolute growth rate, relative growth rate, crop growth rate, dry matter efficiency and unit area efficiency. Recommended dose of fertilizers (N20P60K40) and farmer’s practice (FYM@5t/ha) proved to be second and third best treatment, respectively. The omission of nutrients resulted in marked reduction in growth of soybean. The lowest values of growth indices were recorded in absolute control treatment (N0P0K0).