Evaluation of some microbial inoculants and micronutrient fertilizers on the performance of soybean and maize in the northern savannah zones of Ghana

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2015-03-03
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Three on - station trials were conducted at the experimental fields of CSIR - Savannah Agricultural Research Institute (SARI), to ascertain and confirm the effectiveness of some commercial microbial inoculants and micronutrient fertilizers for improvement of soybean and maize productivity in the Guinea and Sudan savannah agro - ecological zones of Ghana. Teprosyn Mo and Legumefix products were used as treatments for the soybean trial while Teprosyn Zn/P and Eco - T were used for the maize trial. All the treatments were laid out in a Randomised Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications each. A significant (P < 0.05) response to Legumefix on soybean nodule dry weight was observed in Kpongu and Manga but not Nyankpala. None of the treatments for soybean and maize significantly (P < 0.05) increased shoot dry matter. Teprosyn Mo + Legumefix, Legumefix and Teprosyn Mo increased soybean grain yield by 205.62%, 135.54% and 110.24% respectively over the control in Manga. In Nyankpala, the application of Legumefix and Teprosyn Mo + Legumefix increased soybean grain yield significantly by 22.43% and 42.10% respectively relative to the control while no significant response was observed among treatments on soybean grain yield in Kpongu. The combined application of Teprosyn Mo + Legumefix was the most profitable (VCR = 2.65) among the treatments in Manga. Teprosyn Zn/P, Eco - T and Teprosyn Zn/P + Eco - T treatments had no significant (P < 0.05) effect on plant height, yield and N and P nutrient uptake of maize in all the study locations. However, the return on investments from the products used for maize showed that Eco - T and Teprosyn Zn/P + Eco - T were the most profitable (VCR > 2) in both Manga and Nyankpala.
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A Thesis submitted to the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Soil Science (Microbiology Option), 2014
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