The Effect of Planting Distances and Foliar Fertilization with Zinc on Yield and its Components of Soybean Crop

Abstract

Abstract This study aims to examine the effect of planting distance and zinc foliar fertilization on soybean yield and its constituents; a field experiment was conducted in the summer of 2022 at the Hamidiyah research station of the College of Agriculture at the University of Anbar (var. Shaimaa). Three replicates of the experiment were conducted using a randomized complete block design (R.C.B.D) with a Split Plot layout. Zinc concentrations were varied across the main plots (0, 25, 50, and 75 mg Zn l-1), while planting distances (7, 14, 21, and 28 cm) were varied across the sub-plots, yielding densities of 190,000, 95,555, 63,333, and 47,777 plants ha-1, respectively. It was found that the number of pods per plant, the number of seeds per pod, the fertility rate, the total seed yield, and the biological yield were all maximized at a planting distance of 28 cm (low density), with averages of 149.1 pod plant-1, 2.90 seeds pod-1, 88.67%, 5.552 tons ha-1, and 15.94 tons ha-1, respectively. The average harvest index was 37.30% at a distance of 21 cm. However, the greatest average weight of 100 seeds was found at a distance of 7 cm (high density) (12.10 gm). The results also showed that a zinc concentration of 75 mg L-1 was optimal in terms of total seed yield (5.365 tons ha-1), the fertility rate (86.67%), the weight of 100 seeds (12.81 gm), and biological yield (16.33 tons ha-1). For most measures of yield and its components, there was no evidence of an effect of planting distance on zinc concentration.