Effect of liquid biofertilizer consortia and micronutrient on growth, quality and yield of kharif soybean (Glycine max L.)

A field experiment was conducted during the kharif season of 2024 at the Post Graduate Research Farm, Agronomy Section, College of Agriculture, Dhule, to evaluate the impact of liquid biofertilizer consortia and micronutrients on the growth, quality and yield of kharif soybean (Glycine max L.). The study included ten treatments arranged in a randomized block design with three replications. The treatments involved the application of 100% and 75% recommended doses of fertilizers (RDF) (50:75:45 kg ha⁻¹ N, P₂O₅, K₂O), seed treatment with Rhizobium + PSB at 25 g kg⁻¹ seed, and liquid biofertilizer consortia at 25 ml kg⁻¹ seed, along with two foliar sprays of Phule Micronutrient GR-II at 1% concentration applied at 30 and 45 days after sowing (DAS). The results demonstrated that the combination of 100% RDF, seed treatment with liquid biofertilizer consortia, and two foliar sprays of Phule Micronutrient GR-II significantly improved growth parameters, including plant height (97.18 cm), number of branches per plant (15.40), dry matter accumulation (40.11 g), protein yield (1015.5 Kg ha-1), oil yield (511.34 Kg ha-1), grain yield (26.00 q ha-1) and straw yield (37.00 q ha-1) compared to the other treatments.