Response of soybean to planting geometry and phosphorus application under rainfed conditions of temperate Kashmir

A field experiment was conducted during kharif 2003 and 2004 at the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir to study the response of soybean to planting geometry and phosphorus application under temperate rainfed conditions. Planting geometry of 30 x 10 cm or 20 x 15 cm (0.33 million plants/ha) recorded significantly more nodulation, growth and yield parameters. However, plant height, leaf-area index, dry matter accumulation, seed yield, oil yield and total N and P removal were superior with 30 x 5 cm or IS x 10 cm planting geometry (0.66 million plants/ha). All the biometric characters, yield attributes, seed and oil yield significantly increased with phosphorus application up to 35.0 kg/ha but remained at par with 52.4 kg/ha. Application of phosphorus @ 35.0 kg P/ha enhanced the seed yield by 66.3 and 58.6% over no phosphorus application in 2003 and 2004, respectively. Maximum harvest index was obtained with phosphorus application @ 17.5 kg/ha. Nitrogen and phosphorus removal by the crop increased significantly only up to 35.0 kg P/ha.