Vol. 8, Issue 7, Part N (2025)
Abstract
Soybean (Glycine max L.) is a globally important leguminous crop valued for its protein and oil content. However, its productivity is often limited by soil nutrient deficiencies and unsustainable reliance on chemical fertilizers. This study was conducted during the 2024 kharif season at VNMKV, Parbhani, under the All India Coordinated Research Project on National Seed Project (AICRP-NSP), to evaluate the efficacy of different liquid biofertilizers in enhancing seed yield and quality of soybean variety JS 20-116. The experiment comprised eight treatments including Rhizobium, Azospirillum, phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB), potassium-solubilizing bacteria (KSB), Pseudomonas fluorescens, effective microorganisms (EM), state-recommended practices, and an untreated control, arranged in a randomized block design with three replications. Significant variation was observed among treatments for emergence percentage, nodulation, plant height, pod number, grain yield, seed quality parameters, and economic returns. Rhizobium (T3) showed the highest emergence (83.6%) and nodulation (74.4 nodules/plant), while KSB (T6) recorded the tallest plants at harvest (50.2 cm), highest pod number (51.7 pods/plant), and highest grain yield per plant (13.2 g). The maximum seed yield per hectare was observed in the state-recommended package (T2: 25.5 q/ha), followed by KSB (25.0 q/ha) and Rhizobium (23.9 q/ha). Germination percentage and seedling vigor indices were also enhanced in Rhizobium and KSB treatments. The highest net monetary returns and benefit-cost ratios were recorded in T2, followed closely by KSB and Rhizobium. ACC-reductase activity, a marker for stress tolerance, was highest in T2 and T3. These results highlight the potential of liquid biofertilizers, particularly KSB and Rhizobium, as effective alternatives or complements to chemical inputs for sustainable soybean cultivation, offering improved yield, seed quality, and profitability under rainfed conditions.
