Response of Soybean (Glycine max l.) to Potassium Fertilizer under Different Crop Geometry

An experiment was carried out at experimental cum demonstration field, SVIAg, SVVV, Indore during rabi 2023-24. The experiment consists of twelve treatment combinations with three main plot treatment (crop geometry) viz. C1: 30 cm x 20 cm, C2: 40 cm x 15 cm, and C3: 60 cm x 10 cm and K1: 0 kg K2O ha-1, K2: 20 kg K2O ha-1, K3: 40 kg K2O ha-1, and K4: 60 kg K2O ha-1 as four sub-plot treatments (potassium levels). Each experimental unit was replicated thrice having the gross plot size of 4.0 x 3.0 m2. Sowing of soybean at 30 cm x 20 cm spacing recorded maximum growth attributes, viz. plant height (40.92 cm) at harvest, number of branches plant-1 (10.66) at harvest, number of functional leaves (27.18) plant-1 at 60 DAS, dry matter accumulation plant-1 ( 22.64 g) at harvest, leaf area plant-1 (12.64 dm2) at 60 DAS, number of root nodules plant-1 (54.91) at 60 DAS and dry weight of root nodules (1.078 g) at 75 DAS, higher yield attributes such as number of pods (37.48) plant-1, number of seeds pods-1 (2.68), and number of seeds plant-1 (100.88 g). The highest seed yield (15.67 q ha-1), straw yield (24.01 q ha-1), and biological yield (39.68 q ha-1) was also observed under crop geometry of 30 cm x 20 cm. Sowing of soybean at 30 cm x 20 cm obtained higher gross monetary returns (₹ 78337.10 ha-1), net monetary returns (₹ 33714.05 ha-1) and B:C ratio (1.72). While in potassium levels, treatment application of 60 kg K2O ha-1 was recorded significantly higher growth parameters of soybean such as., plant height (43.22 cm) at harvest, number of branches (11.30) plant-1 at harvest, number of functional leaves (27.42) plant-1 at 60 DAS, leaf area (12.82 dm2) plant-1 at 60 DAS, dry matter accumulation plant-1 (23.13 g) at harvest, number of root nodules plants-1 (56.10) at 60 DAS, and dry weight of root nodules (1.103 g) at 75 DAS, yield parameters viz., number of pods (36.88) plant-1, number of seeds pods-1 (2.69) and number of seeds plants-1 (103.05), as compared to other potassium levels. Amongst the potassium levels 60 kg K2O ha-1 recorded significantly higher seed yield (16.34 q ha-1), straw yield (24.57 q ha-1) and biological yield (40.91 q ha-1) in contrast to the other potassium level. In potassium levels, higher gross monetary returns (₹ 81699.35 ha-1) and net monetary returns (₹ 34450.64 ha-1) were obtained under treatment 60 kg K2O ha-1 than rest of treatments with higher B:C ratio (1.69).