COMBINATION OF ORGANIC MANURE, INORGANIC FERTILIZER AND BIO-FERTILIZER ON SOYBEAN [(Glycine max l. (merril)] GROWTH

Abstract

Inherent low soil fertility improvement and crop productivity enhancement can be attributed to the addition of organic materials which has been identified as an alternative approach to the use of chemical fertilizer. Field studies were conducted on CSIR Savanna Agricultural Research Farm at Nyankpala and on farmer’s field at Cheshegu and Ghulahgu all in Tamale, Northern region of Ghana. To ascertain the effects of combining organic manure (30 t ha -1 ), inorganic fertilizer (25: 30: 30 kg ha -1 NPK) and inoculation with Bradyrhizobium japonicum (5 g per seed) and control. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD), replicated four times. Data were collected on number of nodule, nodule weight, biomass accumulation and grain yield. Parameters were analyzed using GenStat statistical package (11 th edition) at P<0.05 level of significance. Results obtained revealed significant (P<0.05) soybean nodulation, biomass accumulation and grain yield responses to the combination of organic manure (Fertisoil (FS)) + inorganic fertilizer (25:30:30 kg ha -1 NPK), organic manure (FS) + Inoculation (INO), inorganic fertilizer (NPK) + Inoculation (INO), FS+NPK and of course sole use of FS as compare to the sole use of NPK, INO and especially the Control. Though there were significant (P<0.05) differences observed in favor of some of the treatment combinations as compare to the sole applications with respect to the different locations, however, the trend of soybean response to soil amendments across the different locations were similar. Hence, the confirmation of the fact that for soybean growth and yield improvement in Northern Ghana, suitable and affordable soil and seed amendments by farmer’s at different locations within the same agro-climatology are numerous