Comparative Assessment of Winter Sown Soybean Germplasm for Growth, and Yield Traits Under High pH Soil

Abstract

In spite of many success stories and multi benefits associated with soybean cultivation in the whole world, survival of this crop always creates problems in different regions of Pakistan due to unavailability of resilient genotypes and fixed cropping systems. There is a need to promote soybean cultivation in different agro-climatological belts of Pakistan by conducting adaptability trials of available genotypes. In Pakistan, extremes in soil pH and harsh climatic conditions, have a great influence on the growth, nodulations and yield of soybean. The careful selection of appropriate genotypes would be a feasible strategy to overcome the above-mentioned problems for increasing yield and overall income for soybean growers in Pakistan. Keeping in view the above-mentioned facts, a field experiment was undertaken at the Agronomic Research Area, the University of Agriculture Faisalabad, in the winter season of 2023-24. In this experiment, seven treatments i.e. soybean genotypes, G₁₌ AARI soybean, G₂ = Faisal soybean, G₃ = Rawal-1, G₄ = NARC-21, G₅ = SL-196, G₆ = SL-171, and G₇ = UAF-soya-1 were used.   A basic arrangement of a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) was employed, with three replications and a gross plot size of 3 m × 6 m. Fisher's analysis of variance techniques were used to statistically assess the data on growth and yield characteristics, and the Least Significance Difference (LSD) test was used to compare the treatment means at a 5% probability level. Data was compiled using standard procedures on growth, yield, and quality characteristics. Result indicated that UAF-soya-1 performed best among all the treatments. While minimum plant height (22.66 cm), number of pods per plant (13.96), and 1000 seed weight (140.10g) were recorded with Rawal-1, maximum plant height (54.00 cm), number of pods per plant (23.86), and 1000 seed weight (200.67 g) were seen with UAF-soya-1. Therefore, it is concluded that UAF-soya-1 soya would be the best choice among all the understudied genotypes.