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Field Preparation and Sowing

Field Preparation and Sowing :

The land should be prepared properly by 3-4 ploughings during summer months to expose the harbouring insects and harmful micro-organisms to direct sunlight. This will help to minimize the pest population to some extent. The soil should be friable and free from weed growth. Before sowing it is better to level the land. Farm Yard Manure (FYM) or compost should be incorporated with the soil during final land preparation. The clods should be broken down into pieces to make the soil friable, porous and contour. Before sowing the soil moisture is to be ensured for better germination.

Sowing time:
The best time for sowing of soybean in Sikkim is June to July (kharif season).

Seed Rate:
About 70-80 kg seed per hectare is required for maintaining proper plant population.

Seed Germination Testing:
Raising of a successful soybean crop mainly depends on the use of healthy seeds of suitable varieties considering the aspect of maturity group, the kind of soil and the possibility of virus and fungal diseases. It is always advisable to test seed germination by the farmer himself using common techniques like germination in beds, jute bags, towel paper, broken pitcher, pots, leaf cups, etc.

Seed Treatments:
The available seeds are to be graded and treated with
 

  • Rhizobium japonicum, the specific strain for soybean crop, Azotobacter and Azospirillum. The amount of culture should be 200 gm each per 10 kilogram of seed. It will help to fix atmospheric nitrogen in the nodules. The Rhizobium not only supplement nitrogen to plant in its growing phase but also provides residual nitrogen to successive crop after harvest of the previous crop and enables the crop to tolerate drought condition.
  • Phosphorus Solubilizing Microorganism (PSM). In the soil the crop can absorb only 20% of phosphorus and rest amount (80%) of phosphorus remains in soil in immobilizing form. Hence the seeds should be inoculated with PSM or Phosphatica which may have any bacteria/microorganism such as Azospirillum awamorii, Pseudomonas striata, Bacillus polymixa, Penicillium sp. etc. That breakdowns insolubale phosphorus in the soil so the plant can absorb soluble phosphorus and maintain plant growth/vigour.

There are three methods by which soybean seeds can be treated. The methods are as follows:

  • Seed treatment: Depending on seed rate, the required amount of jaggery is boiled in water and cooled. Rhizobium inoculation is sprinkled, mixed in jaggery solution and dried in shade.
  • Soil treatment: The Rhizobium inoculum is mixed with required amount soil and spread over the field.
  • Soil application: If Rhizobium inoculum is not available, 200 kg of soil (2-10 cm surface soil) can be collected from a particular area, where Rhizobium had been applied before or leguminous crop had been cultivated luxuriantly, and this soil can be broadcasted over the field.

Spacing and depth: Soybean can be sown by broadcasting or by line sowing methods. But it is always advisable to sow the seeds in line sowing method to get better plant stand. A distance of plant to plant =10 cm and row to row = 45 to 60 cm is maintained. The depth should be 3 cm. after sowing the seeds should be covered by a thin layer of soil by laddering.

Sowing: In Sikkim, soybean is a Kharif season crop and its sowing is done with the onset of monsoon.

  • For obtaining desirable number of plants, sowing should be done in sufficiently moist field, at the depth of three (3) cm.
  • The seed rate for yellow / white / light – brown four (4) lakh plants per hectare can be obtained (i.e. 35-40 plants/sq. m) or in one meter long line there will be some 12 plants.
  • Black soybean seeds are sown at the rate of 40-50 kg per hectare so that two to two and half (2.00-2.50) lakh plants are obtained per hectare (i.e. 20-25 plants/sq. meter) or in one (1) meter long row some 15 plants are obtained. If sowing is delayed due to any reason the seed rate should be increased by 25% and row spacing should be reduced.
  • To increase production distance between lines is kept at 30-35 cm, then in sq. meter 40-45 plants (i.e. 4.50 lakh plants per hectare) can be obtained. Accordingly 10% increase in yield can also be obtained.

Application of Culture in Standing Crop: Each of one (1) kg Rhizobium two (2) kg P.S.B. and one (1) kg Azotobactor should be mixed separately with two basket full of dried F.Y.M. Then all the three heaps are to be mixed together. This is to be drilled in the standing crop or broadcast and thoroughly mixed with soil in between the rows of the crop at the age of 15-25 days. Application of bio-cultures by this technique in the standing crop not only enhances aeration in the soil, but enables bio-culture to reach roots/rhizosphore, whereby use-efficiency increases.