Effect of Nodumax and SSP Fertilizers on the Growth, Yield and Grain Quality of Soybean (Glycine Max.(Merril (L) in Lafia, Nigeria

Abstract

Field experiments were carried out during the 2024 and 2025 cropping seasons at the Teaching and Research Farms of College of Agriculture Science and Technology Lafia Nasarawa State, Nigeria to determine the effect of Nodumax and SSP fertilizers on the growth, yield and grain quality of soybean. Routine analysis was carried out on the field in both cropping seasons using standard analytical procedures. The field was manually cleared and demarcated into plots measuring 3 x 3 m. Four ridges of 3 m long and a spacing of 0.75 m were constructed per plot with a 1m inter plot boundary. Three fertilizer sources; single super phosphate (SSP) at the rate of 60 Kg P2O5, SSP (60 Kg P2O5) boosted with Nodumax, Nodumax (sole) that served as treatments, were properly broadcast and incorporated into the soil before planting. There were plots without fertilizer application that served as control. Treatments were replicated four times and laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design. Soybean seeds of the variety TGX-1935 3F (early variety) were drilled into the ridges. For both seasons the crop was grown to maturity and harvested after twelve weeks. Proximate composition of soybean was determined to find out the quality of grain. Data collected was subjected to the analysis of variance (ANOVA) usinggens tat and where significant difference among means was observed, Fischer’s least significant difference was used to separate means. Results from this study showed that there was response to treatment application in both seasons. The single superphosphate treatment boosted with nodumax gave the best yield in terms of grain weight and quality while the nodumax treatment gave the best yield in terms of vegetative growth. It was thus concluded that SSP boosted with nodumax would give the best yield in terms of grain.