<![CDATA[Objective: Soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) is an important source of vegetable protein and a major food commodity. However, expanding soybean cultivation into dryland areas is constrained by drought stress, which adversely affects plant growth and productivity. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of biological fertilizers and drought stress on soybean growth and yield. Method: The experiment was conducted from October 2019 to January 2020 in a greenhouse using a factorial Randomized Block Design with three replications. The first factor was biological fertilizer application, consisting of no fertilizer, Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) at 10 g L⁻¹, and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) at 10 g polybag⁻¹. The second factor was drought stress based on soil water availability (SWA): 100%–100%, 100%–50%, 50%–100%, and 50%–50% during vegetative and generative phases. Results: Biological fertilizers did not significantly affect soybean growth or yield. In contrast, drought stress significantly reduced plant height, leaf number, leaf area, root length, plant dry weight, pod number, seed number, and seed yield, with the greatest reductions occurring under 50% SWA during both growth phases. No significant interaction was observed between biological fertilizers and drought stress treatments. Novelty: Identify water availability as the primary determinant of soybean productivity under drought conditions, supporting sustainable food production and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger).]]>
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