Climatic requirements, soil and land preparation
Soybean requires warm, humid weather during vegetative growth and dry sunny conditions during pod maturity.
Agronomic parameters:
- Soil type: Performs best on well-drained, deep fertile black cotton soils (vertisols) or rich loamy soils with pH between 6.5 and 7.5.
- Drainage: Extremely sensitive to waterlogging; create broad bed furrows (BBF) or ridge-and-furrow layouts to ensure rapid surplus water drainage.
- Sowing window: Mid-June to early July with the onset of the southwest monsoon after the soil receives at least 75 to 100 mm of cumulative rainfall.
Seed rate, Rhizobium inoculation and high-yielding cultivars
Proper seed treatment and varietal selection protect against early soil pathogens.
Sowing and seed management:
- Prominent cultivars: JS 20-34, JS 20-98, JS 335, NRC 37, and MACS 1407, selected for high pod density and shatter resistance.
- Seed rate and spacing: 65 to 75 kg per hectare; sow at 45 cm row spacing and 5 to 7 cm plant spacing at a depth of 3 to 4 cm.
- Bio-priming: Inoculate seed with Rhizobium japonicum and Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria (PSB) bio-fertilizers to establish active root nodules.
- Fungicide dressing: Treat seeds with Trichoderma viride or approved contact fungicides before inoculation.
Weed management, harvesting and mandi price realization
Keep the crop weed-free during the first 30 to 45 days using manual wheel hoeing or registered selective post-emergence herbicides. Harvest when 90% of leaves shed and pods turn golden-yellow. Dry harvested seed to 10-12% moisture to preserve seed germination viability. Farmers track live mandi prices and MSP procurement via agmarknet.gov.in.
Official source
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ICAR - Indian Institute of Soybean Research (IISR) ↗Related on KisanPe
Common questions
What is the recommended sowing time for Kharif soybean in India?
The ideal sowing window is from mid-June to the first week of July, immediately after receiving the first steady monsoon showers.
Why is Rhizobium inoculation recommended for soybean seeds?
Rhizobium japonicum bacteria form symbiotic root nodules that fix atmospheric nitrogen, supplying up to 70% of the crop's nitrogen needs naturally.
How can waterlogging damage be prevented in black cotton soils?
By sowing on a Broad Bed Furrow (BBF) or ridge-and-furrow planting layout that provides surface drainage channels for heavy monsoon runoff.
General guidance, not personal advice. For your farm, ask your local Krishi Vigyan Kendra or agriculture officer.
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