Integrated nutrient management for soybean (Glycine max L., Merrill) in rainfed vertisols of Malwa Plateau, Madhya Pradesh

A field experiment was conducted at All India Coordinated Research Project for Dryland Agriculture Centre, RVSKVV, College of Agriculture, Indore during kharif of 2015 and 2016 on soybean (var. JS 95-60). Nine treatments were tested viz. T₁: Control, T₂: 100% NPK, T₃: 100% NPK + Zn (20 kg ha⁻¹), T₄: 100% NPK + Zn (20 kg ha⁻¹) + S (10 kg ha⁻¹), T₅: 100% NPK + S (10 kg ha⁻¹), T₆: 10 t ha⁻¹ FYM + 50% NPK, T₇: 10 t ha⁻¹ FYM + (Rhizobium + PSB) + 50% NPK, T₈: 10 t ha⁻¹ FYM + (Rhizobium + PSB) + 50% NPK + Zn + S, and T₉: 10 t ha⁻¹ FYM + (Rhizobium + PSB) + 50% NPK + 5 t ha⁻¹ residues + Zn + S, Treatment T₉: 10 t ha⁻¹ FYM + (Rhizobium+ PSB) + 50% NPK + 20 kg Zn + 10 kg S + 5 t ha⁻¹ residues gave the highest soybean yield (1156 kg ha⁻¹), gross returns (Rs. 46240 ha⁻¹) and B:C ratio (2.48) compared to other treatments. The uptake of N, P, K and S by soybean was also higher in T₉ as compared to rest of the treatments. Lowest values were recorded in T₁ treatment (control).