Influence of liming on the performance of high-yielding soybean varieties in southeastern Nigeria

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted during the 2003 and 2004 cropping seasons at Umudike, Southeastern Nigeria, to assess the effect of liming on the performance of four high yielding soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merril] varieties (early maturing TGX 1485-1D, TGX 1799-8F, TGX 1805-8F and medium maturing TGX 1440-1E). In each year, the experiment was laid out as a split plot in a randomized complete block design using three replications. Five lime rates of 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 t/ha were applied to the main plots while the four soybean varieties were planted in the sub-plots. Liming significantly increased soil pH, number of nodules and number of pods per plant and grain yield, especially in 2004 but did not significantly influence plant height, shoot dry matter, days to 50% flowering and 100-seed weight. The 1.0 t/ha lime rate proved to be optimum and is thus recommended for high grain yield in soybean. Mean grain yield at 1.0 t/ha lime rates was higher than the yield in the control (no lime) by 66%. The medium maturing TGX 1440-1E gave, on the average, significantly higher number of leaves and number of pods per plant and grain yield than other varieties. There were generally no significant effects of lime and crop variety interactions on soybean growth and yield. Agro-Science Vol. 6 (2) 2007: pp. 16-24