Effect of Sulphur and Phosphorus Fertilizer on Growth and Nutritional Quality of Soybean as Livestock Feed

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Professor Dr. Purnendu Gain Field Laboratory, Khulna University during the period from November 2023 to February 2024 to evaluate the effect of Sulphur and phosphorous fertilizer on the growth, yield and seed nutritional quality of soybean. BINA soybean-5 was used as test crop. The experiment comprised three levels of Sulphur (0, 6.51,9.76 kg ha⁻¹) and three levels of Phosphorous viz. (0,14,21 kg ha⁻¹), Altogether there were 9 treatment combinations and laid out following the randomized complete block design with three replications. Individual application of different levels of sulphur and phosphorus showed non-significant effect in relation to the most of the yield and yield attributes studied. Plant height, number of branches per plant, number of leaves per plant, stem diameter, pod length, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per plant, hundred seed weight, grain yield, stover yield and biological yield, were increased by the application of S up to 9.77 kg ha⁻¹. The chlorophyll content showed significant effect on individual application of sulphur and phosphorous. Pods per plant was also highly significant on both individual and interaction of S and P application of fertilizer. Seeds per pod and seed yield showed also significant effect on individual application of sulphur and phosphorous. On the other hand, plant height, number of branches per plant, number of leaves per plant, stem diameter, pod length, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per plant, hundred seed weight, grain yield, stover yield and biological yield, were increased at the rate of 21 kg P ha⁻¹ in most cases. Interaction effects of sulphur and phosphorus on yield attributes were increased. Most of the growth, yield attributing parameters found to be increased by the combined application of 9.77 kg S ha⁻¹ and 21 kg P ha⁻¹. The percentage of dry matter, crude protein, crude fiber, ether extract were increased with the increasing level of S and P fertilizers. The nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, sulphur and iron content in the seed also increased with the increasing level of sulphur and phosphorous fertilizer.