Effects of Organic Fertilizer on Growth and Yield of Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted in Zaqom Khail village, Baraki Barak district of Logar province, Afghanistan, during the summer cropping season in 2020 and 2021. The study focused on organic fertilizers at rates of 300 kg/ha, 450 kg/ha, and 600 kg/ha. The NPK (100:100:50) and zero treatment were served as positive and negative controls, respectively. A dosage (100 and 50%) of organic fertilizer was applied during sowing time, at the last harrowing. The experiment followed a randomized completely block design with three replications and five treatments. Each plot had a size of 2m x 1.5m, resulting in an area of 3m², and the gaps between adjacent plots and blocks were maintained at 0.50 meters and 1 meter, respectively. Bean seeds were sown with a spacing of 0.40 m (row-row) x 0.20 m (plant-plant) and at a depth of 6 cm. The plant lines were arranged in a north-south direction, with a population of 60 plants per plot. Each plot consisted of four lines, with 15 plants in each line. The total experimental area was approximately 110 m2. The results showed that the growth parameters (number of plant branches and plant height) and yield attributes (number of plant pods, number of seeds per pod, dry matter weight per plot, and grain yield per hectare) were highest with the application of 600 kg of organic fertilizer per hectare in both 2020 and 2021. This treatment resulted in a maximum plant height of 51.0 and 49.4 cm, a higher number of plant branches (6.0 and 5.93), the maximum number of pods per plant (8.20 and 8.08), a number of seeds per pod (5.60 and 5.53), dry matter weight (30.77 and 29.30 grams), and grain yield per hectare (2.563 and 2.535 metric tons), respectively, compared to the control group. These findings indicate that the optimal dose of organic fertilizers for promoting the growth and improving the yield of common beans in the field may be a rate of 600 kg of organic fertilizer per hectare under the agro-ecological conditions of Logar.