Watering Regimes and Their Effects on Growth and Yield of Soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill) Varieties

Abstract

Climate change is causing a serious threat to agricultural sector as the major causes of environmental stress influencing plant growth and development. Water stress is one the major environmental stress. In order to evaluate the effects of two contrasting water stress (drought and waterlogging) on the growth and yield of soybean, a greenhouse experiment with 3 varieties of soybean and 5 watering regimes was conducted. Result showed that drought has more significant effect on soybean production than waterlogging. Water stress was observed to reduce plant height, root length, leaf area, number of leaves and number of pods produced in soybean. There is increase in chlorophyll A, chlorophyll B and proline which signify increase tolerance and resistance to water stress. Soil nitrogen fixed was reduced as water stress increases from waterlogging to drought. Findings shows that varieties of soybean were significant in all data obtained except root length. Result also concluded that watering regime of twice a week producing an average soil water content of 22.02% will be optimum for soybean production.