Optimizing Soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) Yield and Economic Returns through Integrated Application of Ghanjeevamrit and Jeevamrit in the Western Himalayan Region

A study was conducted to optimize productivity and economic returns of soybean through natural farming inputs in the Western Himalayan region at the Integrated Research Farm of Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Palampur, during the Kharif season of 2024. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) comprising eight treatments with three replications. The treatments were allocated randomly to each plot. The treatments of the experiment were T1 - Ghanjeevamrit (5 q/ha) + Jeevamrit (10%), T2 - GhanJeevamrit (5 q/ha) + Jeevamrit (15%), T3 - GhanJeevamrit (5 q/ha) + Jeevamrit (20%), T4GhanJeevamrit (10q/ha) + Jeevamrit (10%), T5 - GhanJeevamrit (10q/ha) + Jeevamrit (15%), T6 - GhanJeevamrit (10 q/ha) + Jeevamrit (20%), T7 - Farm yard manure (10 t/ha) and T8 - control. The experimental soil was silty clay loam and acidic (5.26) in reaction with EC (0.104 ds/m), organic carbon (0.63%), available nitrogen (226.4 kg/ha), available phosphorus (14.57 kg/ha) and available potassium (209.17 kg/ha). The highest value of unit area efficiency, yield attributes, seed yield, straw yield, biological yield, harvest index and economics were recorded in T6 (GhanJeevamrit (10 q/ha) + Jeevamrit 20%) whereas the highest nodules per plant was recorded in T5 - GhanJeevamrit (10 q/ha) + Jeevamrit (15%). The lowest values of the above-mentioned parameters were noted in T8 (control), except the benefit cost ratio, which was the lowest observed in T1 (GhanJeevamrit (5 q/ha) + Jeevamrit (10%). T6 (GhanJeevamrit (10 q/ha) + Jeevamrit 20%) proved to be the best treatment while T5 (GhanJeevamrit (10 q/ha) + Jeevamrit (15%) and T4 (GhanJeevamrit (10 q/ha) + Jeevamrit (10%) proved to be the second and third best treatments in enhancing the yield and economic returns of soybean, respectively.