Soybean Physiology and Yield Response to Seed Rate and Sowing Method

Abstract

The soybean crop is highly sensitive to climate change associated events viz., global warming, drought, and water-logging at the time of highly sensitive flowering and grain filling stage, causing a shortfall in production and supply of quality seed to the country. Under prevailing high-density planting, at the seed rate of 70 kg ha-1 and flatbed sowing method, plant growth is restricted due to limitation of radiation and nutrients. Hence, the seed rate and sowing method need revision in an era of climate change. Therefore, we hypothesized that adopting a lower seed rate under ridges and furrow sowing would improve seed yield and quality over the prevailing seed rate of 70 kg ha-1 and flatbed sowing method. In order to test our hypothesis, an experiment was conducted to study the effect of various seed rates and sowing methods on growth and productivity of soybean. Studies revealed that a seed rate of 70 kg ha-1 shows superiority in terms of seed yield (3873.70 kg ha-1) which was at par with 60 kg ha-1 (3359.40 kg ha-1). Lower seed rate of 60 kg ha-1 was superior in terms of seed yield per plant (8.99 g plant-1), biological yield (6310 kg ha-1), Harvest index (35.69%), dry matter accumulation in pods at 61 DAS (1.74 g). Ridges and furrow sowing method was found superior for biological yield (26.33 g plant-1) and (6958.90 kg ha-1), dry matter accumulation in pods at 61 DAS (1.84 g), Leaf Area Duration at 71 DAS (19535.00 cm2.days). Interaction studies revealed that 60 kg ha-1 seed rate with ridge and furrow stand superior in terms of seed yield per plant 10.65 g plant-1 which was attributed to maximum harvest index (29.58%), dry matter accumulation in pod at 61 DAS (2.13 g), Leaf Area Duration at 71-81 DAS (22069.00 cm2.days). In contrary, highest seed yield(4018.89 kg ha-1) was observed for seed rate of 70 kg ha-1 with flat bed sowing. Hence it can be concluded that, under low productive environment the efficient dry matter accumulation, leaf area development and number of branches under low density planting will not compensate for the higher plant stand induced yield increment due to high density planting. Therefore, higher seed rate of 70 kg/ha with ridge and furrow sowing will be recommended to the farmers to get higher yield of soybean under rainfed and low productive environment.

Influence of Reduced Seed Rate and Sowing Methods on Growth Parameters and Seed Yield of Soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.)

“…Raised bed method of sowing (14.07 g) recorded highest seed yield per plant as compared to flatbed method (11.42 g). Madhana Keerthana et.al., [17] reported that ridges and furrow sowing method was found superior for biological yield dry matter accumulation, leaf area duration in soybean. Among the seed rates, highest seed yield per plant was obtained from the seed rate of 50 kg ha -1 (15.12 g), while lowest was noted in 70 kg ha -1 (13.15 g).…”

Vegetative and productive characteristics of soybean under doses of boron and inoculation of Trichoderma atroviride

“…However, there was a strong positive correlation between pod and branches per plant (r = 0.68), as well as, grains per plant with branches and pod per plant (r = 0.69; r = 0.95 respectively), result also evidenced by Mahbub et al (2015), whose pod per plant was the component that most contributed to productivity. Therefore, this is due to the greater efficiency in the capture and distribution of solar energy, where it is converted into photoassimilates, providing stem growth, increase in the formation of branches, pods and grains in the plant (Keerthana et al, 2021).…”

Phenological Variation in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Varieties through Foliar Application of Cytokinin Analogs and Nutrients under Water Deficit Stress

“…Under rainfed conditions, the crop frequently faces the water deficit stress condition especially during the reproductive stage of the crop [9], accounting for 40% -45% of global chickpea yield losses [10]. During the grain-filling stage of the crop, the water deficit condition reduces the rate of seed filling and seed quality [11].…”