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

The field experiment was carried out during Kharif, 2018 and 2019 with an objective to increase the productivity of soybean with reduced seed rate and varied sowing methods. The experiment comprising of two sowing methods viz., flatbed and raised bed, two varieties (JS-335 and JS-9560) and three seed rates (70, 60, and 50 kg ha-1) was laid out in split plot design with four replications. The growth and yield parameters viz., plant height (44.77 cm), canopy diameter (22.50 cm), pods per plant (37.72) and seed yield ha-1 (18.32 q) were maximum in raised bed method of planting. Use of lower seed rate i.e., 50 kg ha-1 produced maximum canopy diameter (23.97 cm2), pods plant-1 (39.86), seed yield plant-1 (15.12 g) and seed yield ha-1 (17.05q). Hence, there is a possibility of optimizing yield of soybean by adopting raised bed method of sowing at the seed rate of 50 kg ha-1.