High-Yielding Varieties of Soybean

• 27 May 2025

Why in News? 

Ahead of the Kharif 2025 season, the Department of Agriculture has recommended specific high-yielding soybean varieties for cultivation in the Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh to optimize yields under local agro-climatic conditions. 

Key Points 

• Centrally Notified High-Yielding Varieties: These varieties have demonstrated excellent adaptability to the rainfall patterns, soil types, and temperature profiles typical of the Bundelkhand region. 
  • No additional state-specific soybean varieties have been notified exclusively for Uttar Pradesh. 
• Suitability to Regional Conditions: They are expected to perform well in medium to deep black soils and under monsoon-dependent rainfall patterns. 
• Soybean Cultivation in India: The cultivation is currently concentrated in a few key states, contributing around 4% to global soybean production. 
  • The major soybean-growing states include Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat. 
• Significance of Soybean Cultivation: 
  • Water Efficiency: Soybean requires considerably less water than paddy, making it a highly suitable crop for regions with limited water availability. 
  • Economic Viability: Due to its lower input costs and decent yield potential, soybean cultivation can offer farmers earnings that are comparable to, or even better than, those from paddy farming. 
  • Soil Health: As a legume, soybean enriches soil nitrogen, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers.  
  • Crop Diversification: Soybean can be effectively integrated into crop rotation systems such as soybean–wheat, soybean–peas–summer moong etc., helping farmers diversify their cropping patterns and reduce reliance on water-intensive paddy cultivation. 
  • Market and Nutrition Value: Soybean is rich in both protein and oil content, making it valuable for food, animal feed, and various industrial applications.  

Kharif Crops 

• Kharif crops are the crops that are sown during the rainy season, which in India typically lasts from June to September. 
• These crops require a lot of water and hot weather to grow, and they depend heavily on monsoon rains. 
• Sowing and Harvesting: 
  • Sowing Time: June to July (beginning of the monsoon) 
  • Harvesting Time: October to November (end of the monsoon) 
• Common Kharif Crops: 
  • Paddy (rice), Maize (corn), Groundnut (peanut), Cotton, etc. 

Rabi Crops 

• Rabi crops are grown in the winter season, from October to March. 
• These crops are typically sown after the monsoon ends and require cooler climates during the growth period and warm, dry conditions at the time of harvesting. 
• Sowing and Harvesting: 
  • Sowing Time: October to November 
  • Harvesting Time: March to April 
• Common Rabi Crops: Wheat, Gram (chana), Pea, Mustard, Linseed, etc.