PERFORMANCE OF SELECTED SOYBEAN CULTIVARS AS INFLUENCED BY DIFFERENT RATES OF SYMPAL FERTILIZERS IN BUNGOMA AND KAKAMEGA COUNTIES

Abstract

Soybean varieties (Sable, Gazelle and SB19) were developed to improve soybean production in Africa. This study was therefore to investigate the effects of varying the rates of planting fertilizer sympal, and performance of the selected varieties (Sable, Gazelle and SB19). The experiment was carried out in one season at two sites; Bungoma County andssss Kakamega County from July 2013 to January 2014. Sympal fertilizer rates of 0 kg /ha, 200 kg / ha and 400 kg / ha were evaluated for their effects on the performance of the three soybean varieties (Sable, Gazelle and SB19) .The trial was a 3× 3 factorial experiment laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). The treatments were replicated three times and each plot measured 4 m × 3 m. The parameters measured included ; Germination percentage, 50 % flowering, Plant height, number of pods per plant, 1000 grain weight (g) and grain yield (t / ha ) The data obtained was subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and the effects of treatments were separated using Least Significant Difference (LSD) test at p ≤ 0.05. The results showed that;sympal fertilizer rates, and varieties significantly influenced the performance of soybean at both sites (p ≤ 0.05) Sympal fertilizer rate of 200 kg / ha was significantly better than sympal fertilizer rate of 0 kg / ha and 400 kg / ha. And variety SB19 outperformed Sable and Gazelle varieties. in terms of germination percentage and grain yield. However, their effects in terms of 50% flowering, number of pods per plant and 1000grain weight were not significant. Sympal fertilizer rate of 200 kg per ha in combination with SB19 variety gave the best performance in the two areas and significantly outperformed all other combinations in Bungoma and Kakamega with respect to yields.This study therefore recommends the use of sympal fertilizer rate at 200 kg / ha in combination with SB19 variety for Bungoma and Kakamega.