Soybean is cultivated in a wider range of cropping systems due to its compatibility in various cropping systems. Its cultivation in rainfed situation and lack of diversification of rabi crop leads to lower the productivity, increases risk of crop failure. Under such circumstances, the diversification of crops under soybean based cropping system appears to be a possible way for improving the biomass productivity and production efficiency per unit area per year without jeopardizing the soil health. Keeping these points in view, a field investigation was undertaken to assess the biomass productivity and production efficiency of different cropping sequences in Malwa region during kharif and rabi cropping seasons of the year 2013-14 and 2014-15 with 14 treatments as crop-sequences in completely randomized block design with 3 replications. Maximum yield in rabi was obtained with garlic followed by the wheat. The soybean (JS 335) – garlic and soybean (JS 95-60) – garlic cropping sequences produced & percent higher biomass as compared to the existing cropping system soybean (JS 335) – wheat and soybean (JS 95-60) – wheat cropping system, respectively. The production efficiency of these systems was and per cent higher with the production efficiency under existing soybean – wheat system with soybean variety JS 335 and JS 95-60, respectively. The results of the experiment, shows that the soybean- garlic and soybean – chandrasur crop was found more efficient in Malwa plateau. | Biomass production and production efficiency of different soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] based cropping systems in Malwa plateau of Madhya Pradesh, India
