Response of soybean to controlled release fertilizers

The field experiment was conducted during kharif season, 2023-24 with split plot design. The present investigation consists of eighteen treatment combinations replicated three times. Treatments comprised of as main plot treatments (Varieties)- i.e.V1- MAUS 158, V2- MAUS 725, V3- KDS 726 and six fertilizer levels as sub plot treatments - i.e. F1 - Control (No fertilizer), F2 - Recommended dose of fertilizer (30: 60: 30 kg N: P2O5: K2O ha-1), F3 - Controlled release fertilizer @ 6.5: 16.5: 9.6 kg N: P2O5: K2O ha-1, F4 - Controlled release fertilizer @ 9.75: 24.75: 14.4 kg N: P2O5: K2O ha-1, F5 - Controlled release fertilizer @ 13: 33: 19.2 kg N: P2O5: K2O ha-1 and F6 - Controlled release fertilizer @ 16.25: 41.25: 24 kg N: P2O5: K2O ha-1. The treatments were allotted randomly in each replication. The controlled release fertilizers were applied near root zone of crop at 45 DAS. The obtained results revealed that application of controlled release fertilizer @ 16.25:41.25:24 kg N: P2O5: K2O ha-1 along with variety KDS-726 noted significantly superior growth attributes viz., plant height (43.67 cm), number of nodules per plant (79.62) and number of pods per plant (80.22). Also, the total uptake (seed + straw) of N (208.97 kg ha-1), P (15.62 kg ha-1) and K (62.70 kg ha-1) in soybean noted maximum in variety KDS-726 with fertilizer level F6 i.e. controlled release fertilizer @ 16.25:41.25:24 kg N: P2O5: K2O ha-1.