The study investigates the effects of seed inoculation with Rizoline-r and foliar application of KALNINI on the growth, physiological parameters, and yield of soybean (Glycine max L.) grown under organic-mimicking conditions. The objective was to enhance nitrogen fixation, photosynthetic efficiency, and yield performance in sustainable farming systems without synthetic inputs. A full-factorial randomized pot experiment was conducted using three soybean varieties (Laulema, Paradis, Tiguan), seed inoculation (3 L t⁻¹ Rizoline-r), and foliar application of 1% KALNINI at the third trifoliate and full flowering stages. The experiment simulated organic production by excluding synthetic fertilisers and pesticides. Results showed that seed inoculation increased plant height by 6.1% and biomass accumulation by 11.0%, while foliar treatment significantly enhanced leaf area index by 28.6% and chlorophyll content by 14.5%. The combined application of both treatments demonstrated a synergistic effect, resulting in the greatest improvements in all traits assessed. Notably, pod formation increased by 34.3%, and seed yield rose by 15.9% compared to the untreated control. These physiological and agronomic enhancements suggest improved plant metabolism, nitrogen uptake, and stress tolerance. The findings underline the potential of integrating microbial inoculants and foliar biostimulants into organic-compatible cropping systems. Such strategies can reduce dependency on synthetic agrochemicals while improving productivity and sustainability. Further research under diverse environmental and soil conditions is recommended to confirm the consistency and adaptability of these results and to develop region-specific treatment protocols suitable for wide adoption in low-input agriculture.

Reliable establishment of direct-seeded onion requires coordinated control of sowing geometry, nutrient supply, crop protection, and resource use. This study combined Hartley-4 optimization of a four-section, multi-row ridge seeder with a two-year randomized complete block experiment comprising ten fertilization × crop-protection treatments. Engineering tests at 5.2, 6.4, and 7.6 km h⁻¹ identified a central operating setting at 6.4 km h⁻¹ that maintained a sowing depth of 1.5–2.0 cm and depth variability below 0.5 cm. In field plots, chemical protection with vermicompost produced the highest mean total yield (25.54 t ha⁻¹), whereas chemical split NPK maximized marketable and standard yields. Biological split NPK showed the greatest two-season yield retention (0.780), although biological protection was associated with higher downy mildew severity. The biological biocomplex treatment ranked highest under the author-defined EIQ-adjusted resource-efficiency screening index, but sensitivity analysis showed that intermediate rankings depended on aggregation assumptions. The optimized design provides manufacturers with validated parameter ranges and gives users a constant-speed platform for comparing crop-management programs. Future research should test the seeder across contrasting soil textures and speeds and directly measure field capacity, fuel use, and long-term agronomic performance.