Effects of Mycorrhizae and Fertilization on Soybean Yield and Nutrient Uptake

Abstract

Soybean (local variety Arısoy) was grown for 45 days on calcareous Karaburun and Menekşe soils. Mycorrhizal inoculation significantly increased both shoot and root yields in the soils. Sulfur (S) fertilization alone did not affect the shoot and root yields in Karaburun soil, whereas there was a great increase in the shoot yield and relatively smaller increase in the root yield for nonmycorrhizal treatments in Menekşe soil. The combination of mycorrhizae and S in Menekşe soil resulted in a yield less than that obtained for mycorrhizae treatments alone. There was a fluctuation in shoot and root yield upon S and/or phosphorus (P) fertilization. There was an accumulation of magnesium (Mg) and zinc (Zn) in the mycorrhizal treatments, whereas there was a dilution of those elements upon yield increases in the nonmycorrhizal treatments. Apart from those, co-application of mycorrhizae, P, and S, resulted in the greatest root yields in both soils, indicating the potential to increase the shoot yield, too, in a longer growth period.