Dry Matter Partitioning, Nodulation and Seed Traits of Medium and Late Maturing Soybean Varieties as Affected by Planting Pattern and Plant Density

An experiment was conducted on Fluvisols of Awassa for two consecutive years (2005-2006) to determine effects of planting pattern and plant density on dry matter accumulation, nodulation, protein and oil content in early and late maturing soybean varieties. Results indicated that Awassa-95 variety produced significantly higher (P 0.600) occurred between grain yield and its components with dry matter components at R2 (stem dry matter (SDM), leaf dry matter (LDM) and stem + nodule + leaf dry matter together known as TDM) and straw dry matter at R7 in both varieties. This study depicted that soybean plants that produce higher dry matter components at R2 would probably produce more straw dry matter, greater grain yield components and higher grain yield dry matter at later stages.