Effect of soil covering, foliar spraying with nano-iron, and addition of biofertilizer on soybean yield

During the autumn of 28.05.2025, a field experiment occurred in the Al-Azawiya region of Al-Musayyib district, which is north of Babylon Governorate, using clay loam soil. at the coordinates 32°47’53.9"N, 44°24’32.1"E to study the effect of three factors: The first factor involved soil mulching: no mulch, white polyethylene, and black polyethylene. The second factor was spraying nano-iron fertilizer at concentrations of 0 g L⁻¹, 1.5 g L⁻¹, and 3 g L⁻¹. The third factor involved incorporating the biofertilizer EM1 at concentrations of 0 ml L⁻¹, 2 ml L⁻¹, and 4 ml L⁻¹. The availability of certain soil elements and the growth and yield of Shaymaa soybeans were impacted by these factors. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) was employed for the experiment. The findings were: Using black mulch led to notable variations in yield traits such as pod count, seed weight per pod, 500-seed weight (in grams), and plant yield (in grams). yielding 112.03 pods per plant-1, 2.95 seeds per pod, 64.15 g, and 42.53 g. Results showed that yield characteristics were significantly impacted by the application of the EM1.The results also showed two-way and three-way interactions among the study factors. Black mulch combined with foliar nano-iron fertilizer (3g/L) and EM1 (4ml/L) application significantly improved most plant yield characteristics. The results showed that using the EM1 biofertilizer resulted in significant differences in yield characteristics. Furthermore, the study’s factors exhibited two-way and three-way interactions, as indicated by the results. Black mulch + foliar spraying with 3g/L nano-iron fertilizer + 4ml/L biofertilizer application. produced substantial differences in a majority of the analyzed plant yield features. This study’s results lead us to conclude that black covering provides superior soybean yield traits. Superior outcomes in pod count, seeds per pod-1, 500-seed weight, and plant yield were observed with the addition of 4 ml L⁻¹ of MS1 alone or alongside 3 g L⁻¹ of nano-iron fertilizer.