Evaluation of Optimum N–Level for Early  Establishment and Yield of Two Soybean  Varieties in Southern Nigeria

OYATOKUN; O. STEPHEN

Volume : II, Issue : IX, September - 2013

Evaluation of Optimum N–Level for Early Establishment and Yield of Two Soybean Varieties in Southern Nigeria

Oyatokun, O. Stephen

Abstract :

Nitrogen is essential for the growth and development of a crop plant and is a major soil nutrient element of soybean. Its deficiency in soil before soybean root nodule formation constitutes the most limiting situation for its production after soil moisture. A screen house pot experiment was conducted in 2008 to examine the effects of N application on the establishment and yield of soybean on a ferric luvisol of southern Nigeria. Top soil samples were collected and used to carry out a 2 x 7 factorial experiment in a completely randomized design with three replications. Parameters measured include plant height, number of leaves, biomass yield and N–content. There were gradual increases in plant height with plant age across the varieties studied. While TGx1485–1D produced a significantly higher biomass yield of 1.03g/pot, TGx1448–2E produced 0.85g/pot. Similarly, TGx1485–1D accumulated more N in shoot (4.68%) than TGx1448–2E (4.11%). This revealed the varietal supremacy of TGx1485–1D over TGx14482E in terms of better establishment and yield. However, applied N proved no significant influence on yield and N accumulation of soybean, thus the cultivation of TGx1485–1D is therefore recommended in the area.