Performance Evaluation of Two Soybean Varieties (<i>Glycine max</i> (L.) Merr.) for Growth and Yield on Frontland Clay Soil in La Grange, Region 3, Guyana

Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) is the most important protein crop globally as it offers a high-quality protein source for animal feed, particularly for poultry, swine, and aquaculture, with its cultivation area in Guyana on the increase. To investigate soybean growth and yield performance of two soybean varieties (Tracaja and FT3282) grown on Frontland clay soil, with the goal of reducing reliance on expensive imported feed ingredients and enhancing local agricultural productivity, a field study was conducted in 2024 using sprinkler irrigation system. A complete randomized block design with four replications was used for the two treatments (Tracaja and FT3282). The results show that the studied soybean growth parameter (plant height) and the yield components (pods per plant, seeds per pod, seeds per plant, mass of seeds per plant and 1000-seed weight) were greater for variety FT3282. The variety FT3282 also showed significantly greater yield (P < 0.05) 4.7 t/ha, while Tracaja yielded (P < 0.05) 3.2 t/ha, both at 14% moisture content. These harvested soybeans seeds are intended for use as seed material and animal feed, and farmers aim to increase soybean production to meet these demands.