The Combination of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi with Rock Powder and Poultry Litter: An Appropriate Natural Fertiliser for Improving the Productivity of Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr)

Abstract

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of the combination of various natural fertilisers on growth and seed yield of the soybean plants. Field experimentations were carried out during two cropping seasons (2018 and 2019). A randomized complete block experimental design with 11 treatments (F1: 30 g of poultry litter, F2: 60 g of poultry litter, MP: 10 g of mycorrhizae + 10 g of vivianite powder, MF1: 10 g of mycorrhizae + 30 g of poultry litter, MF2: 10 g of mycorrhizae + 60 g of poultry litter, PF1: 10 g of vivianite powder + 30 g of poultry litter, PF2: 10 g of vivianite powder + 60 g of poultry litter, MPF1: 10 g of mycorhizae + 10 g of vivianite powder + 30 g of poultry litter, MPF2: 10 g of mycorrhizae + 10 g of vivianite powder + 60 g of poultry litter, T+: chemical fertiliser, T-: unfertilised plants) and three replications were used. The growth parameters and seed yield were evaluated. The results showed that the growth and seed yield of soybean varied depending on the fertiliser and the cropping season. Plants that have received the MPF2 treatment exhibited significantly (p < 0.05) the highest values of the studied parameters (plants height, foliar production, plants dry biomass, seed yield). The MPF2 treatment increased the seed yield of soybean by 20.08% and 184.76% compared to T+ and T- treatments, respectively. The supply of the following combination, 10 g of mycorrhizae + 10 g of vivianite powder + 60 g of poultry litter was found to be very promising in improving the soybean plant growth and therefore, can be used as an alternative to replacing the mineral fertilisers usually employed for the cultivation of this crop.