Exploring the Combined Effect of Microbial Consortia and Fertilizers on Growth and Yield of Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill.]

Background: Soybean crop require macro and micronutrients, supplemented by fertilizers and manures, but many of them tend to be lost and make them unavailable. Nutrient use efficiency in soybean may be enhanced by deploying certain microorganisms, which have the capacity to solubilize them, increase their availability and facilitate their uptake. Methods: A three-year field experiment in a randomized block design with three replications was conducted to evaluate the effects of the recommended fertilizer dose, Bio NPK, Bio Zn and microbial consortia individually and in combination on soybean growth and yield. Result: The positive effects of combined application of fertilizers and microbial consortia containing 75% RDF + Rhizobium + MDSR 14 + 12c led significantly higher plant dry matter production at 60 DAS (18.78 g), root nodules (41.26) and its dry weight (0.49 g), number of pods per plant (58) and seed yield (3104 kg ha-1) over the control and was at par with 100% RDF. An increase in seed yield with microbial consortia coupled with inorganic fertilizers was 37.41%, 3.33% and 11.25% over the control, 100% RDF and 75% RDF, respectively. Economically, the treatment T7 containing inorganic fertilizers and microbial consortia was promising in terms of maximum net returns (Rs. 80,346/- ha-1) and benefit-cost ratio (2.99). Soybean crop supplemented with 75% RDF and seed inoculation with rhizobium + MDSR 14 + 12c microbial consortia (T7) was observed to save 25% of the recommended dose of fertilizer and gave at par yield with 100% RDF.