Effect of Different Levels of Sulphur on Yield and Quality of Soybean in Inceptisol

The field experiment entitled “Effect of levels of sulphur on yield and quality of soybean in Inceptisol” was conducted during Kharif 2012 at College of Agriculture, Kolhapur Farm with a view to study the effect of levels of sulphur on dry matter yield, grain and straw yield, quality. The field experiment was carried out in Randomized Block Design with Four replications comprising of five levels of sulphur (0, 20, 40, 60 and 80 kg S ha⁻¹) application through elemental sulphur. The dry matter yield of soybean recorded at critical growth stages were increased significantly due to sulphur application. The dry matter accumulation was increased significantly with application of sulphur throughout growth stages except at harvest. The dry matter yield at 70 days after sowing was significantly highest with treatment T₄ (21.37 gm plant⁻¹) i.e. application 60 kg sulphur ha⁻¹ and it was found significantly superior over rest of the treatments. However, application 60 kg sulphur ha⁻¹ significantly increased the dry matter yield gm per plant at harvest but, it was on par with the treatment T₅ (80 kg S ha⁻¹). Thesignificantly highest thousand grain weight and number of pod per plant was recorded with the treatment T₄ (150.25 g) and (38 pod per plant) respectively, and it was at par with treatments T₅ in respectof number of pods per plant. Similar trend was observed in grain and straw yield of soybean. The significantly highest grain yield (29.05 q ha⁻¹) and straw yield (40.85 q ha⁻¹) were recorded in 60 kg S ha⁻¹ (T₄) but it was at par with treatment T₅. The Protein yield (432.78 g kg⁻¹) and oil yield (220.53 g kg⁻¹) of soybean was significantly increased in treatment T₄ and found superior over remaining treatments. The results of the present investigation indicated that application of sulphur @ 60 kg ha⁻¹ significantly increased yield, quality.