**Abstract**

Soybean (*Glycine max* [L.]) contributes 25% of the global edible oil. Globally, soybean area and production in 2020 were 127.9 million ha and 379.8 million tons, respectively. Soybean has got early acceptance as an important oilseed crop in India in with approximately 10–11 million ha area. Now, it has become a major crop by replacing the traditional and contemporary popular crops in nearly all parts of India. Climate change effects, like change in *Monsoon* pattern, increase in dry spell frequencies, heavy rainfall event during crop growth period, extended monsoon at harvesting stage, has drastically influenced the productivity of soybean, which needs attention to identify the constraints and accordingly adapt the climate-resilient technologies. The recent research conclusions revealed that the climate-resilient technologies like selecting suitable varieties, sowing within proper sowing window, broad bed furrow (BBF) method of sowing, dry spell management practices to reduce moisture stress, rainwater harvesting, and soil conservation through BBF method of planting, reuse of harvested and stored rainwater during moisture stress conditions, the adaptation of micro-irrigations systems for protective irrigation, intercropping in soybean, resource conservation techniques can mitigate the effects of climate change and enhance the productivity of soybean in a sustainable manner.

**Keywords:** broad bed and furrow, dry spell management, resilient technologies, soybean yield

### **1. Introduction**

Soybean cultivation and its use was started from the beginning of Chinas agriculture age. Its utilization for human consumption was mentioned [1] long ago 6000 years back in Chinese medical compilations. Soybean has meant for milk, meat, bread, cheese and oil from centuries ago to common people of China, Korea, Manchuria, Japan, Philippines and Indonesia. The center for origin of soybean is China while some reports second center as India [2–4]. In India initially, soybean has been traditionally grown in patches of the Kumaon Hills of Uttarakhand (earlier Uttar Pradesh), the Khasi Hills, the Naga Hills, Manipur, Himachal Pradesh, and parts of central India encompassing Madhya Pradesh.

During 2020 the global area and production of soybean was 127.9 million ha and 379.8 million tons respectively. India stands fifth rank in the area and production in the world after countries USA, Brazil, Argentina and China. The productivity of soybean in India is low (1.1 tons/ha) as compared to the world (2.3 tons/ha).

Rainfed agriculture produces much of the food consumed globally. It accounts for more than 95% of farmed land in Sub-Saharan Africa, 90% in Latin America, 65% in East Asia and 60% in South Asia. The rainfed agriculture across the world is being affected by climate change.

### **1.1 Indian situation**

On global map India lies between 8° N and 37°. In all climate over Indian subcontinent is dominantly tropical except Northern parts where the climate is temperate. Climate over India is characterized with distinct hot and dry climate altered with wet and humid climate in cyclic pattern. This is due to monsoon winds. Typical monsoon over India has two branches, i.e., Arabian sea branch and Bay of Bengal branch.

In Indian context soybean has occupied the position as major crop of India by replacing the traditionally grown major region-specific contemporary crops like cotton, paddy, and wheat. This has derived the agriculture completely new cropping systems also. Reasons of early popularity of the soybean crop in India are good demand of crop in international market, assured economic value of the crop along with the nutrient rich in both oil content (16–21%) and protein content (36–42%). Climatic requirements of soybean crop in more or less variations matches with existing climatic conditions over India which may be one of the reasons for steady performance of soybean in terms of production and productivity.

Based on productivity levels of soybean, total Indian geographical area is categorized in six agroclimatic zones which are Northern Hill Zone, Northern Plain Zone, Eastern Zone, North Eastern Hill Zone, Central Zone, and Southern Zone. The breeding for improving varieties with suitability and management practices specific to the particular zone are identified to achieve higher levels of productivity. In last years the area under soybean in India is constantly increasing with increase in productivity. In year 2020–2021 among various soybean growing states of India, Madhya Pradesh followed by Maharashtra were the first two states to grow soybean on 5.85 million ha and 4.32 million ha area respectively. In other states like Karnataka, Telangana, Gujarat, and Chhattisgarh there is considerable scope for the area enlargement (**Table 1**).

The average annual rainfall of India is 1192 mm, with spatial and temporal variability which delineate the Indian agriculture in to dry farming, dryland farming and rainfed farming. The major soil types of India are Vertisols, Inceptisols and Entisols. Vertisols are deep black cotton soils having swelling and shrinkage properties, good water holding capacity. In India soybean is promising and prominent rainfed crop where seasonal rainfall is 900 mm and soil type is vertisols. In some parts of India traditionally adopted cropping system was *Kharif* fallow followed by post-rainy wheat or chick pea, but soybean has substituted this cropping system as soybean followed by wheat or chick pea. Gain in the *kharif* season crop has bring out improvement of small and marginal farmers profitability, socio-economic condition. The small and marginal farmers are subjected to subsistence farming due to limited production inputs. Even under aberrant weather conditions soybean has maintained its steady performance in terms of profitable returns to farmers [5].

Indian Council of Agricultural Research—Indian Institute of Soybean Research, at Indore, Madhya Pradesh was established to provide centralized research to support *Climate-Resilient Technologies for Enhancing Productivity of Soybean in India DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.104603*


### **Table 1.**

*State-wise expected area, production, and productivity of soybean 2021.*

soybean production system research with basic technology and breeding material. Under AICRPS (All India Coordinated Research Project on Soybean) system 102 improved soybean varieties have been developed which were suitable to different agroclimatic zones, and promising with high yields due to tolerance to various biotic and abiotic stresses.

After independence through green revolution, high yielding varieties, India achieved record breaking/higher food grain production and achieved self-sufficiency in cereals production. This achievement of the higher production was associated with several extensive problems which encounter to degradation of the natural resources and challenged sustainability. The concepts of conservation have gained importance due to the threat of resource degradation problems, the necessity to reduce production costs, increase productivity and profitability and make agriculture more inexpensive. Over exploitation of natural resources, conducive to unsustainable growth; these strategies need to change in coming years for increasing the sustainability. For Indian agriculture it is the time where it must search for new guidelines—may be through strategies, policies, and actions which must be accepted to move toward sustainability.

In recent past decades, at global level, rapid moves have been made in order to develop and spread the technologies which will conserve resources. Conservation of soil and rainwater can be achieved with change in land configuration, and method of planting like broad bed method of sowing, minimizing soil disturbance through restricted tillage. Adoption of conservation agriculture (CA) include the basic three pillars or principles which are


These principles can be effective possible ways towards the realization of the sustainability in agriculture and will help in achieving the goals of increasing productivity with prevention of further degradation of natural resources. To sustain soil fertility, improving fertilizer/water use efficiency, physical properties of soil, and

enhanced crop productivity, techniques of crop residues retention on the soil surface, organic and inorganic combined fertilization and involvement of legumes in crop rotation are essential. Above techniques coupled with minimum or no-tillage practices play a major role in conservation of natural resources. Thus, resource- conserving technologies can be used to enhance soil health, water, and nutrient use efficiency.
