Effect of land configuration and sowing date on growth, yield and economics of soybean (Glycine max L.) in Kharif season

The field experiment was carried out during kharif 2022 at Experimental Farm of Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Latur to study the effect of land configuration and sowing date on growth, yield and nodulation of soybean (Glycine max L.) in kharif season. The soil of experimental plot was clayey in texture, low in available nitrogen (235 kg ha-1), medium in available phosphorus (17.53 kg ha-1), very high in available potassium (446 kg ha-1) and slightly alkaline in (pH 7.8) nature.The experiment was laid out in Split Plot Design with nine treatment combinations, consisting of three Land configurations viz Flatbed (L1), Ridges and furrow (L2), Broad bed furrow (L3) and three sowing date as D1 (8th July), D2 (23rd July), D3 (8th August). The gross plot size of each experiment unit was (5.4 m × 4.5 m) and net plot size was (4.4 m × 3.9 m) respectively. Sowing was done at respective sowing date as per the treatments by dibbling method at spacing 45 × 5 cm2 with variety MAUS -158. The recommended dose of fertilizer 30:60:30 kg ha-1 was applied. The result showed that on land configuration, broad bed furrow (L3) recorded highest values of all growth attributes followed by ridges and furrow (L2) and both land configuration treatments were found superior over flatbed method of sowing. Whereas, soybean was sown on 8th July (D1) recorded maximum values of all plant growth attributes. The maximum plant height (47.80 cm plant-1), seed yield (1709 kg ha-1), straw yield (2389 kg ha-1), GMR (₹ 67,505 ha-1), NMR (₹ 24,475 ha-1) and B: C ratio (1.56) observed with sowing of soybean on broad bed furrow (L3). Higher growth and yield attributes, seed yield (1966 kg ha-1), straw yield (2624 kg ha-1), GMR (₹ 77,657 ha-1), NMR (₹ 34,894 ha-1) and B: C ratio (1.81) was observed with sowing of soybean on 8th July (D1).