Biofortification of Soybean ( Glycine max L.) through FeSO 4 ·7H 2 O to Enhance Yield, Iron Nutrition and Economic Outcomes in Sandy Loam Soils of India

Salwinder Singh Dhaliwal, Vivek Sharma, Arvind Kumar Shukla, Janpriya Kaur, Vibha Verma, Manmeet Kaur, Prabhjot Singh, Lovedeep Kaur, Gayatri Verma, Jagdish Singh, Ahmed Gaber and Akbar Hossain
Additional contact information
Salwinder Singh Dhaliwal: Department of Soil Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141027, India
Vivek Sharma: Department of Soil Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141027, India
Arvind Kumar Shukla: Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal 462038, India
Janpriya Kaur: Department of Soil Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141027, India
Vibha Verma: Department of Soil Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141027, India
Manmeet Kaur: Department of Soil Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141027, India
Prabhjot Singh: Department of Soil Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141027, India
Lovedeep Kaur: Department of Soil Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141027, India
Gayatri Verma: Regional Research Station (PAU), Gurdaspur 143521, India
Jagdish Singh: Regional Research Station (PAU), Gurdaspur 143521, India
Ahmed Gaber: Department of Biology, College of Science, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
Akbar Hossain: Department of Agronomy, Bangladesh Wheat and Maize Research Institute, Dinajpur 5200, Bangladesh

Agriculture, 2022, vol. 12, issue 5, 1-10

Abstract: The nutritional value of Glycine max L. (soybean) and its yield potential for improving sustainability of agricultural systems has resulted into its increased production. Soybean crop has potential to replace the rice crop in the rice-wheat cropping system. However, the crop has shown high sensitivity towards iron (Fe) deficiency, and thus recorded major yield and nutritional quality losses. Thus, a three-year field experiment was planned to compare the impact of the application rate (0.5% and 1.0%) and number of sprays of FeSO 4 on yield, Fe nutrition, and economic outcomes of soybeans. The Fe application posed a beneficial impact on the studied parameters due to an increase in enzymatic activity of Fe-containing enzymes. Among various treatments, maximum increase in grain and straw yield (3064 and 9341 kg ha −1 , respectively) was obtained with 0.5% FeSO 4 application at 30, 60, and 90 DAS over the control (2397 and 6894 kg ha −1 , respectively). Similar results were attained for grain Fe concentration (69.9 mg kg −1 ) and Fe uptake in grain and straw (214 and 9088 g ha −1 , respectively). The results were statistically non-significant, with the treatment in which 0.5% FeSO 4 was applied at 30 and 60 DAS. The economic returns of soybean cultivation were also highest with 0.5% FeSO 4 application at 30, 60, and 90 DAS with highest benefit; the cost (3.02) followed by treatment in which 0.5% FeSO 4 was applied at 30 and 60 DAS. Thus, 0.5% FeSO 4 application at 30, 60, and 90 DAS can be recommended for soybeans grown on sandy loam soil followed by 0.5% FeSO 4 application at 30and 60 DAS to harness maximum yield, Fe concentration, and profitability.

Keywords: biofortification; foliar application; Glycine max L.; Fe uptake; Fe nutrition; economic analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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