ABSTRACT
Response of soybean(Glycine max [L] Merr.) varieties to sowing methods and phosphorus fertilizer application in Northern Guinea Savannah was investigated under field and pot conditions at the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR) farm and the Department of Agronomy orchardrespectively, in Ahmadu Bello University, Samaru. The treatments consisted of two soybean varieties;TGx1835-10E and TGx1951-3F,two sowing methods (drilling and dibbling) and four P fertilizer rates of (0, 11, 22 and 33kg P ha-1) factorially combined and laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design(RCBD) and replicated three times the crops recorded faster growth and higher yield in the field compared to the pot trial. Result revealed that soybean variety TGx1951-3Frecorded taller plants with higher dry matter production but took longer days to attain 50% flowering than TGx1835-10E. It also out performed TGx1835-10E in pod weight and grain yield.Dibbling recorded higher soybean stands, numbers of leaves and branches per plant and total dry matter production than drilling in both trials. It however, recorded lower RGR and took shorter days to attain 50% flowering than drilling in terms of yield and its attributes. A positive linear response on both soybean varieties was recorded with increasing P fertilizer application up to 33kg P ha-1 in both trials. Positive and highly significant correlation coefficients (>0.05) were obtained between grain yield and plant height, number of leaves, number of branches, canopy spread (12WAS),number of pods per plant andpods weight per plant.Similarly number of pods per plant andpods weight of per plantrecorded a positive and highly significant correlationwith grain yield, plant height, number of leaves, number of branches and canopy spreadin the field trial. In the pot trial a highly significant and positive correlation between grains yield and plant height, canopy spread and harvest index was recorded. Grain yield and number of branches, plant height and number of branches per plant, days to 50% flowering and pods weight per plant showed a positive and significant correlation.
