HAG-312

INTRODUCTION TO MAJOR FIELD CROPS

SOYBEAN (Glycine max L. Merril)
Introduction:
 Called ‘wonder crop or miracle crop’.
 contains 40% protein and 20% oil.
 Soybean protein is rich in the valuable amino acid lysines (5%) in which most of the cereals are
deficient
 contains phytochemicals known as isoflavines which protect human body against chronic diseases such
as cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis and blood pressure A large number of Indian and western dishes such
as bread, kachori, pastries, high-protein food for children, food for diabetic, milk, biscuits, sweets,
ermented food, khoa, paneer rabdi, powdered food material, chocolate, ice cream, protin snacks,
utrinugget, green pods as vegetable, canned seed vegetable, salad, dry seed-roasted, boiled, cooked,
soysauce, soysoup etc. can be prepared from its seed/flour. It is widely used for manufacturing of edible
oil, vanaspati ghee, salad oil, butter, glycerine, oil for light, explosive, varnish paints, soap, lubricating
oil, printing ink, celluloid, plywood material, tape joint, typewriter ribbon, rice cream, vitamins,
antibodies, medicine and cosmetic material etc. It can be used as forage, hay, silage etc. Its forage and
cake are excellent nutritive foods for livestock and poultry
Origin:
 Soybean is reported to have been originated in China.

Area and Distribution:

Soybean is one of the important crops of the world. The united States of America have become the world
leading producer. The USA, Brazil, Argentina, China and India are the world's largest soybean producers and
represent more than 90% of global soybean production. Soybean production in India at present time is restricted
primarily in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.

Classification:
 Genus- Glycine
 Family- Leguminosae/ Fabaceae

Classification of soybean is done according to form, size, shape and colour of its seeds and maturity period
as given below:
 Manchurian classification
This classification is based on colour of seed. Soybeans have been divided into three groups according
to this classification.
(A) Yellow group
1. Yellow seeds with light hilum
2. Yellow seeds with golden hilum
3. Yellow seeds with brown hilum
(B) Black group
1. Large black seed
2. Small black seed
3. Flat black seed
(C) Green group
1. Epidermis of seed green but embryo yellow
 2. Epidermis as well as embryo green
 Martain classification
This classification is based on shape and size of soybean seed.
1. Soja elliptica
2. Soja spherica
3. Soja compressa
 Hertz classification
This classification is based on shape of pods
1. Soja platycarpa
2. Soja tumida
 American classification
This classification is based on maturity period of crop. Divided into 10 groups.

Climate:
Soybean grows well in warm and moist climates from sea level to an elevation of 3,000 m. For growth and
development, the optimum temperature range is 26.5-30oC. Lower temperatures tend to delay the flowering. It
has been observed that low temperatures reduce the oil content, whereas higher temperatures during seed
formation increase the oil content in seed. At temperatures >42oC, nodulation is hampered severely. Minimum
temperature for effective growth is about 10oC . A relative humidity of 70-75% is optimum for pod formation.
The crop cannot tolerate frost and water logging. It is grown in areas of 400-750 mm annual rainfall. It is a short
day plant and requires a photoperiod of 13-14 hours provided that temperatures are also favourable.

Soil:
Soybean can grow in well drained loam, sandy loam and clay loam soils. The soil pH should be 6.0-7.5. Acidic
and alkaline soils inhibit the germination of seed. Water logging is injurious to the crop.

Field Preparation:
The seed bed should be well pulverized, free from clods and perennial weeds, and well leveled. The land should
be prepared by ploughing 4-5 times followed by planking after each ploughing. Generally one deep ploughing
with mould board plough followed by 3-4 light ploughings by desi plough will ensure the proper tilth.
Variety: Pusa-16, pusa-22, Bragg, Monetta, Ankur, Ahilaya-1,3
Seed treatment:
To get rid of seed borne diseases, seeds must be treated with Thiram or Captan @ 4.5g/kg seed or mixture of
Thiram+Bavistin 1:1 @3g/kg of seed. Trichoderma viridi @ 5 gm. per kg of seed. For higher yields, seeds must
be treated with rhizobium and PSB culture. The inoculation of seed with Rhizobium culture is most important
when the crop is cultivated first time in any land. The seed should be inoculated with Rhizobium japonicum
strains of soybean culture to overcome the problem of poor nodulation @ 0.5 Kg/70 Kg of seeds. The
inoculated seeds are stored under shade till the time of sowing. Sowing should be finished within two hours of
inoculation. Rhizonbium culture, if not available at the planting time, the seeds should be sown after mixing
with soil collected from 15 cm deep soil of land which was under soybean cultivation for consecutive 2-3 years.

Seed rate, spacing and sowing method:

Soybean crop needs about 70-80 kg/ha seed during kharif season (timely sown) and 100-120 kg/ha seed during
spring and summer seasons (late sown). Intercropping with other crops either in alternate rows or 2 rows of
soybean between two rows of main crop would require 60% of the seed rate. The seed rate also depends on seed
size. Small seeded varieties require 55-60 kg/ha seed whereas medium and bold seeded varieties require 70-75
kg/ha and 80-90 Kg/ha, respectively.
Soybean is cultivated as pure crop, inter crop and mixed crop. The seeds are sown by different methods. Pure
crop should be sown by seed drill or behind the plough. Soybean can be planted at spacing of 45 cm to 60 cm
row to row and 4-5 cm plant to plant. A seeding depth of 5 cm is optimum. Shallow depth may be justified to
crust prone areas and deeper in sandy soils. Rainfall immediately after sowing results in crust formation
inhibiting seedling emergence. Crust breaking by light racking is desirable under these situations. Soybean has a
good scope as intercrop in pigeonpea, cotton and upland paddy in northern India and in sorghum, cotton,
sugarcane, pigeonpea and groundnut in southern India. Soybean is planted with the companion crop in the
alternative rows or two rows of Soybean with one row of companion crop. Paired row method utilizes the
resources more efficiently
with higher yield.
Sowing time:
Sowing time Time of sowing plays an important role in soybean cultivation. The last week of June to first
fortnight of July is optimum sowing time. In northern and central India, last week of June is the optimum time
of sowing under irrigated conditions. Soybean is also cultivated as rabi crop and the seed is sown in October
and November. The summer crop is sown in middle of February or middle of March.

Nutrient Management:
An application of 25 kg N/ha as a starter dose will be sufficient to meet the nitrogen requirement of the crop in
initial stage. A response of higher nitrogen application has been observed in fields deficient in nitrogen. Apply
80 kg P2O5/ha to meet the phosphorous demand of the crop at the time of sowing. In K deficient soils, basal
application of 60 kg K2O/ha is recommended. To correct K deficiency in a standing crop, 0.5% foliar spray of
KCl is recommended. Soybean requires S for oil synthesis. In areas with low S availability, 20 kg S/ha is
necessary. Application of 20 kg ZnSO4 /ha recommendation is made for all soybean growing zones.

Water Management:
The crop requires about 600-650 mm rainfall. Soil deficient in moisture requires pre-sowing irrigation for the
good germination. Irrigation at active growth stage is required; however there should not be any moisture stress
at the end of flowering to pod initiation stages. In rainfed crop prolonged dry spells, requires protective
irrigation .The spring or summer crop of soybean requires assured irrigation facilities.

Scheduling of irrigation:

Weed Control:
To avoid weed competition during initial stage, soybean field should be kept weed free for the first 30-40 days
after sowing. Two manual weeding, 20 and 45 days after sowing are sufficient for controlling weeds. During
rains, hand weeding may not be possible. In such circumstances pre-plant incorporation of fluchloralin @ 0.75-
1.00 kg/ha or pre-emergence application of pendimethalin @ 1 kg/ha or metribuzin @ 0.75 kg/ha have been
found effective to control annual grasses and broad leaved weeds. Response of application of postemergence
herbicides quizalofop-ethyl @ 50 g/ha 25 days after sowing (DAS) or imazethapyr @ 75 g/ha at 15-20 DAS in
800-1000 litre water per hectare area also control the grasses satisfactorily.
Diseases:
Bacterial blight: Small reddish brown spot surrounded by water soaked margin with yellow holes appears on
pods. Cool and moist conditions are favourable for bacterial blight.
Bacterial pustules: Yellow pustules appears on leaves which later changes to reddish brown with marginal
yellowing. In case of heavy infection, defoliation may occur. Warm and moist conditions are favourable for
bacterial pustules. Using of disease free seed, practicing crop rotation and growing of resistant variety (Alankar,
Ankur, Bragg, Durga etc.) will help in controlling the disease. The seed should be treated with Cerasan or
Captan @ 3.0 g per kg of seed or Trichoderma viridi @ 5 gm per kg of seed before sowing. The crop should be
sprayed twice with Copper Oxychloride 50 % WP (Blitox) or Streptocycline (500 ppm) at an interval of 10 days
depending the severity of the disease.
Downy mildew (Pernospora Sp): Small chlorotic spots appear on the upper surface of the leaves which later
turn greyish to dark brown with downy growth on the lower surface of the leaves. For control, the seed should
be treated with Captan @ 3.0 gm per kg of seed before sowing. Spraying the crop with Copper Oxychloride 50
% (Blitox, Phytolan etc.) @ 5.0 g. per litre of water has been found effective in controlling the disease.
Dry root rot (Macrophomina phaseoli (Tassi) Goid): Small, round or irregular black sclerotia appears below
the epidermis on the affected stem and root. The plant wilts within a week. On examination of the stem, dark
sunken lesions are seen on the stem and dry rot symptoms appear on basal stem and main root. In advanced
stages, dark sclerotial bodies may be seen on the affected roots and basal stem. Seed dressing with Thiram or
Captan @ 3.0 g or Trichoderma viridi @ 5.0 g per kg of seed, crop rotation and field sanitation including
cutting down the diseased plants and burning them and drenching the infested soil with fungicide will help in
reducing the inoculum.
Yellow mosaic (Virus): Yellow mosaic is an important virus disease, it is transmitted by white fly. The
affected leaves become yellow with a slight crinkling and reduction in size. The plants are stunted in growth
and set a few pod only. Regular spraying of the crop with a mixture of Methyl demiton 25 EC (Metasystox 25
EC) @ 1.5 ml per litre of water starting from third week or onwards at an interval of 10-15 days keep the white
fly population under control and the crop becomes free from the incidence of yellow mosaic virus.

Insect management:
Stem borer beetle (Oberea brevis Gahan. Syn : Melanagromyza sojae Zehnter.): A small pale brown
longicon beetle whose grub bores into the stern of growing plants. As a result, drying of leaves and withering of
plants occur. Adults feed on leaves by making multiple punctures, which appears as white spots on leaves. It
can be controlled by spraying the crop with Monocrotophos 36 SL (Nuvacron etc.) @ 1.5 ml, Phosphamidon 40
SL (Sumidon etc.) @ 1.5 ml, Methyl Parathion 50 EC (Metacid, Paratox etc.) @ 1.0 ml/litre of water.

Bihar hairy caterpillar ( Spilosoma obliqua Wallker.) : The caterpillar feeds gregariously on the foliage
causing the whole plant defoliated in case of severe attack. The insect can be controlled by spraying the crop
with Dimethoate 30 EC (Rogor etc.) @ 1.5 ml, Monocrotophos 36 SL (Nuvacron etc.) @ 1.5 ml, Methyl
demiton 25 EC (Metassystox etc.) @ 1.5 ml/litre.
Tobacco caterpillar (Spodoptera Fab.): The larvae of this insect are voracious feeder and causes damages to
the foliage. They feed on the surface of the leaves and ultimately skeletonise them. They are nocturnal in habit
and cause damage of the foliage at night. They hide themselves under the clods at the base of the plant during
day time. The insect can be controlled by spraying the crop with Dimethoate 30 EC (Rogor etc.) @ 1.5 ml,
Monocrotophos 36 SL (Nuvacron etc.) @ 1.5 ml, Methyl demiton 25 EC (Metassystox etc.) @ 1.5 ml/litre.
Gram pod borer (Heliothis armigera Hubn.): The caterpillar makes holes in the pod and feeds on the
ripening grains. The Caterpillar, as it grows, bores into green pods and destroys the seeds completely. It can be
controlled by dusting the crop with Carbary 10 % @ 20 kg/ha or Spraying the crop with Methyl Parathion 50
EC (Metacid 50 EC) or Monocrotophos 36 SL (Nuvacron etc.) @ 1.5 ml. per litre of water The insecticide is to
be applied at the fruiting stage and it may be repeated at the interval of 10 days.

Harvesting and yield

The plant is harvested when the leaves turn yellow and finally drop and only the pods remain on the stalk. There
is a thumb rule for harvesting soybean crop i.e. the crop should be harvested after it has fully matured.
Harvesting is done either by cutting the plants close to the ground with sickles or pulling the plants. The
harvested plants are carried to the threshing floor and dried in the sun about a week. It can also be threshed by
wheat thresher after some adjustments. A moisture content of 13-14% is ideal for threshing with thresher. By
adopting improved technologies, improved varieties of soybean yield 30-35 quintals of grain per hectare.