Influence of Bioformulations on Productivity, Profitability and Quality in Soybean under Rainfed Condition of Northern Transition Zone of Karnataka

Background: Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] is the most important major oilseed crop among the edible oil seed crops. It has emerged as a potential protein as well as oilseed crop worldwide. The average productivity of soybean is low due to less importance and mostly grown under rain-fed condition without using bio-fertilizers (novel bio-formulations). Hence the current study was carried out to enhance the productivity and profitability of soybean under rainfed condition. Methods: The present investigation was carried out at AICRP on Soybean, Main Agricultural Research Station, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad with medium deep black soil under rainfed condition. The experiment was executed in a Randomized Block Design with three replications and seven treatments. The influence of bioformulations on growth, yield parameters, yield, economics, quality and nutrient status of soybean (DSb 21) was carried out during kharif 2021-22 and 2022-23. Result: The pooled data of two years concluded that, application of 100% RDF alone (T2) was recorded significantly higher dry matter production (79.2 g plant-1), pods per plant (64.0), seed index (14.41 g), seed yield (2,797 kg ha-1) and straw yield (4,340 kg ha-1) and similarly higher uptake of nitrogen (103.74 kg ha-1), phosphorus (17.54 kg ha-1) and potassium (91.40 kg ha-1) in soybean crop followed by next best treatment with application of 75 per cent RDF + Rhizobium + MDSR14 + 12c (76.6 g plant-1, 61.6, 14.19 g, 2,631, 4,170, 100.12, 16.73 and 86.64 kg ha-1 respectively) (T7) as compared to other treatments. Further, higher net returns (Rs.1,13,015 ha-1) and benefit cost ratio (4.73) was also obtained in T7. Therefore, the application of 75 per cent RDF + Rhizobium + MDSR14 + 12c can be recommended for eco-friendly, economically viable, environmentally sound and sustainability in nature, besides improving the physico chemical properties of soil and in turn higher productivity and profitability under medium deep black soil in Northern Transition zone of Karnataka (India).