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Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Early Access

Soybean performance under natural farming: Response to bio-formulations from indigenous and exotic cattle breeds

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.7304
Submitted
20 January 2025
Published
11-09-2025
Versions

Abstract

Conventional farming, characterized by the extensive use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, mono cropping and intensive mechanization, has contributed to notable agricultural advancements. However, it also has adverse impacts on the environment, human health, and the long-term sustainability of agriculture. To address these concerns, a field experiment was conducted during the Kharif seasons of 2022 and 2023 at the Zero Budget Natural Farm (ZBNF) of the Department of Organic Agriculture and Natural Farming, CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur. The study aimed to evaluate the effects of bio-formulations prepared using inputs from different cattle breeds namely Indigenous cow (Pahari) lactating, Indigenous cow (Pahari) dry, Indigenous cow (Sahiwal) lactating, Indigenous cow (Sahiwal) dry, Exotic cow (Jersey) lactating, Exotic cow (Jersey) dry, Indigenous bull (Pahari)on the growth and yield of soybean. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The results revealed that the application of bio-formulations derived from inputs of the Indigenous cow (Pahari) dry significantly improved growth parameters such as plant height (71.4 cm and 77.8 cm), dry matter accumulation (218.6 g/m² and 224.7 g/m²), and crop growth rate (1.3 g/m²/day and 1.4 g/m²/day) during both years. Yield parameters also showed superior performance with the same treatment, resulting in higher seed yields (1653.8 kg/ha and 1785.4 kg/ha), along with better yield-attributing characters. The enhancement in growth and yield attributes of soybean can be attributed to the organic matter contributed by the bio-formulations.

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