PERFORMANCE OF SOYBEAN (Glycine max L.) UNDER DIFFERENT PHOSPHORUS LEVELS AND INOCULATION

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different phosphorus levels viz. 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 kg ha^-1 and inoculation with Rhizobium japonicum. In all the phosphorus levels oil content (%) in soybean seed were found non significant. While in case of plant height and number of pod bearing branches per plant, the two higher phosphorus levels i.e. 75 and 100 kg ha^-1, gave significantly better results as compared to other doses of phosphorus. While in all other parameters i.e. number of pods per plant, pod length, number of seeds per pod, biological yield, harvest index and oil yield, 100 kg P2O5 ha^-1 gave significantly better results as compared to all other doses of phosphorus. Inoculation with Rhizobium japonicum improved soybean yield and yield components as compared to non-inoculated seed.