Effect of sowing dates, mulching and seed rates on nutrient uptake and productivity of soybean in sub - humid Punjab, India

A field experiment was conducted for three years to study the effect of sowing dates, mulching and seed rates on nutrient uptake and productivity of soybean under irrigated conditions in sub-humid Punjab on a silty clay loam soil which was low in available N, medium in available P and available K. The experiment was conducted in a split plot design with the combination of three sowing dates and mulch in main plots and three seed rates in sub-plots with three replications on fixed site. The results revealed that sowing on June 30 and mulching recorded the highest number of pods plant-1.There was no significant influence of seed rates on yield attributes. Seed yield also remained at par under different sowing dates, mulching and seed rate treatments. Stover yield however, was significantly higher under the earlier sowing dates and mulching. Highest total N uptake was observed under June 30 sowing date whereas total P and K uptake was highest in May 20 sowing date. No significant effect of mulching was observed on total N and K uptake. Among seed rates maximum total N uptake was observed under 75 kg seed ha-1. The results suggest that soybean performed better when sown with 60 kg seed rate ha-1 on June 30 and mulched with wheat straw.