Optimizing Bio Stimulant Concentrations to Enhance Seed Vitality and Vigor in Soybean (Glycine max L.)

Soybean (Glycine max L.) seeds often exhibit poor germination, leading to uneven crop es-tablishment and delayed seedling emergence. A laboratory experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of five biostimulants (Acadian, Appetizer, Manvert Ocean, Algaren Twin, and Muhit) at four concentrations (0, 25, 50, and 75 ml L⁻¹) in enhancing seed vital-ity and vigor. The study followed a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four rep-lications. Key parameters assessed included first and final germination counts, radicle and plumule lengths, seedling dry weight, seedling vigor index (SVI), and cold test per-formance. Results revealed significant effects of biostimulants, concentrations, and their interactions on all studied traits. Notably, Acadian at a concentration of 50 ml L⁻¹ yielded the superior performance, likely due to an optimized balance of nutrients and growth hormones that promote cell elongation and enhanced water and nutrient uptake. While concentrations generally exerted a more pronounced effect than the bio stimulant type, ex-cessive concentrations resulted in inhibitory effects. Among the indicators, the seedling vigor index proved to be the most comprehensive and reliable metric for assessing seed quality. Consequently, the application of Acadian at 50 ml L⁻¹ is recommended to enhance soybean seed quality and vigor for promoting sustainable agricultural production.