Effect of drip irrigation, fertigation and plastic mulching on growth and yield of soybean (Glycine max)

A field experiment was conducted during the rainy season of (kharif) 2017 and 2018 at Ludhiana, Punjab, to study the effect of drip irrigation, fertigation and plastic mulching on productivity and quality of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. Treatments comprised 3 levels of drip irrigation (1.0 × Etc, 0.8 × Etc and 0.6 × Etc) and 3 fertigation levels 50, 75 and 100% recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) along with plastic mulch 25 micron, paddy straw mulch applied @ 6 t/ha and the control (no mulch and conventional furrow irrigation with recommended dose of fertilizer applied as basal broadcasting). Results showed that, under plastic mulch with drip irrigation 1.0 × Etc and 100% RDF applied through fertigation (T₉) recorded the maximum seed yield (2.31 t/ha), which was 57.1% higher than conventional furrow-irrigated crop with basal broadcasted fertilizers. Plastic mulched, drip irrigated 0.6 × Etc soybean yielded statistically at par or significantly higher than conventional bed planting furrowirrigated crop which resulted in irrigation water saving of 32.7%. Soybean under plastic mulching enhanced the seed yield by 14.3% compared to bare soil (without mulch) drip-fertigated soybean.