Suitability and productivity assessment of soybean (Glycine max L.) -growing soils of Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh, India

The study is aimed to analyze the soil-site suitability and assessment of productive potential of soybean (Glycine max L. Merr) in Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh, India. Soybean is a rainfed crop pre-dominantly grown in shrink-swell soils of Malwa Plateau. Seven typical pedons (Vertisols) were studied for their suitability and productivity evaluation through bio-physical and soil site parameters. These soils were slightly to strongly alkaline (pH 7.6 to 9.0) with bulk density of 1.6 to 1.7 Mg m⁻³. These soils had clay content ranging from 21.0 to 60.1 per cent with high clay CEC (> 54 c mol p (+) kg⁻¹) and available water content (> 8.59 per cent). Parametric land evaluation techniques (Sys, Riquier's and Storie) were compared and found that the Riquire index was more reliable than the other two methods in assessment of productive potential for soybean. The criteria indicated that these soils are marginally suitable as per Sys criteria, good (Riquier index) and fair to poor (Storie Index). The results warrant for re-parameterization in Storie and Sys suitability criteria as the results did not reflect the ground reality of soybean yield in study area.