1.Conservation furrows

Under heavy rainfall events, to conserve moisture and draining out excess water from the field, can be achieved by a very simple technique of opening conservation furrows after every 4/6 rows of soybean.

### 2.Broad bed and furrow

Broad bed and furrow (BBF) systems have been found to agreeably attain both the objectives specially in deep vertisols.

### **3.4 Selection of suitable variety**

A good soybean variety should be high-yielding and should exhibit stable performance across abiotic and biotic stresses during crop growth. Growing more than one (preferably three to four) variety with different maturity durations is most advisable particularly when the planting area is on quite a large area to achieve sustainability in soybean production and to make efficient use of harvesting equipment and laborer.

### **3.5 Sowing window**

In the northern, northeast, northwest, and central region of India, soybean is mostly cultivated as the sole crop in *Kharif* (June–October). But, in the peninsular and the North– Eastern region of the country, successful soybean cultivation is also feasible during *rabi*/spring and summer seasons (November–April). In Maharashtra also the area under cultivation of spring and summer soybean is increasing. Two successive seasons of soybean cultivation is not scientifically recommended due to the recent outbreak of pest and diseases.

During *Kharif* season, under irrigated conditions, one presoaking irrigation in the second fortnight of June is given for pre-monsoon sowing of soybean which has been found to give optimum plant population, good growth and high yields. When irrigation is not available, sowing should be done after the commencement of monsoon rains. Sowing should be started only after receipt of minimum 100–150 mm rainfall (depending on soil type) to avoid initial crop failure due to moisture stress or dry spell immediately after sowing. The date of onset of Monsoon varies in various parts of country. Appropriate sowing window for *Kharif* soybean is in between the third week of June to the second week of July (as per the commencement of monsoon). Timely sowing is very important non monitory input. Late planting leads to manifold problems like a poor plant population, reduced vegetative growth, reproductive efficiency, pod development, and yield. Sowing of *Kharif* soybean after 20th July is not recommended.

### **3.6 Optimum plant population**

Optimum plant population is prerequisite for higher yields. Per plant yield contributing characteristics are in good quantity when the optimum plant population is maintained. One of the reasons for poor soybean yield in India is the sub-or superoptimal plant population. A plant population of about 450 thousand is optimum with a range of 400–600 thousand plants per hectare. In general, a comparatively higher plant population is desirable for determinate varieties. Use of quality seed and good seedbed condition are pre- requisite to maintain the desired field emergence.

### **3.7 Planting geometry**

The ideal planting geometry with row spacing of 45 and 30 cm is recommended for northern, central and southern zones respectively while plant to plant spacing is at 4–5 cm and 7.5–10 cm respectively. For delayed sowing due to late-onset of monsoon,

*Climate-Resilient Technologies for Enhancing Productivity of Soybean in India DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.104603*

to tcompensate yield reductions owing to reduced vegetative growth along with early flowering can be achieved to some extent by reducing the row to row spacing (30 cm) and increasing the seed rate by 25%. To ensure good germination and subsequent plant stand the seed should be placed at the depth of 3–5 cm.

### **3.8 Seed rate**

Seed rate is dependent on seed index and germination ability, and percentage. Small seeded variety—60–65 kg/ha Medium seeded variety—65–70 kg/ha Bold seeded variety—70–75 kg/ha The required seed rate is generally 65 kg/ha.

### **3.9 Seed treatment, seed inoculation**

Seed treatment before sowing achieves the objectives of good seed germination and uniform plant stand, reduction in seed born inoculum, protection of seed and seedling from soil born pathogenic infestations. More than 20 species of fungi are known to affect soybean plant as seed-borne. Therefore, seed treatment becomes most important preventive measure which include

1.Fungicidal seed treatment of Thiram + Carbendazim (2:1) to the seeds at the rate of 3 g/kg seed of soybean.

OR

Treating soybean seed with microbial inoculum of *Trichoderma Viridi* at the rate 5 g/kg seed will effectively prevent collar rot disease and assure good plant establishment.


### **3.10 Nutrient management**

Soybean is considered to be a moderately exhaustive crop. Application of balanced fertilizer dose ensures better performance of soybean in terms of yield. The integration of organic manures like 5–10-ton farm yard manure (FYM) or 2.5-ton poultry manure/ha before last harrowing with inorganic fertilizers as the basal dose of 25:60–80:40–50:20 N: P2O5:K2O:S kg/ha (at the time of sowing) generally provides nutrition in balanced which will help in harnessing the yield potential of soybean.

As per the soil test report, the recommended micronutrients should be applied by soil or foliar method of application

### **3.11 Weed management and intercultural operations**

Weeds poses major threat to soybean production by the way of yield losses to the extent of 30.5–53%. The critical crop weed coemption period for soybean crop is 20–45 days after sowing (DAS) In general, the mechanical weed control measures in soybean are hand weddings twice, at 20 and 40 DAS are recommended. In *kharif* season during incessant rains or in case of labor unavailability, chemical weed control promises effective weed control. Application of pre-plant incorporation (PPI) or preemergence (PE) or post-emergence (PoE) herbicides and two hands weeding were found equally effective to reduce the weed load in soybean.


### **3.12 Water management**

Proper water management at critical growth stages is essential to optimize yield. Stress on account of surplus or shortage soil moisture would be unfavorable growth and yield of soybean. Water requirement of soybean for planting and germination is approximately 100 mm, the total water requirement of soybean is around 500 mm.

Generally, soybean is cultivated as completely rainfed in dryland areas receiving rainfall 600–900 mm or as irrigated in rainfed areas rainfall more than 900–1500 mm. From the rainfall analysis it is concluded that the kharif crops are supposed to undergo the dry spell at least once in its total life cycle. Crop may suffer moisture stress at early season, mid-season or terminal stage due to dry spell. Critical period of soybean for water requirement is planting to emergence, reproductive growth stage, and pod filling stage. Supplemental irrigation should be given from the harvested and stored rainwater whenever there is a dry spell or moisture stress conditions occurs.

In rainfed areas, water stored from runoff during heavy rainfall is collected and stored in storage structures like farm ponds. This harvested and stored water can be utilized during drypell to save crop by giving protective irrigation. For protective irrigations in dryland areas the reuse of harvested rainwater can be efficiently used through micro irrigation system. Adaptation of the micro irrigation systems like sprinkler irrigation system will not only increase the efficiency of water application but will also increase the area under protective irrigation and can rescue more area from moisture stress. The depth of protective irrigation can be 1–2 cm for shallow rooted crops while it can be 3–5 cm for deep rooted crops (**Figure 1**).

*Climate-Resilient Technologies for Enhancing Productivity of Soybean in India DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.104603*

**Figure 1.** *Sprinkler irrigation system for efficient reuse of harvested rain water.*
