SYNERGISTIC EFFECTS OF MICROBIAL ANTAGONISTS AND ...

TaxonomvG. mm belongs to the family Leguminosae and sub family Papilionoidae. Itis an annual herb. which is usually sub-erect or twining. bushy and rather leafy1,eaves are alternate and trifoliate except at the first two nodes. Petiole long: leafletgenerally ovate and lanceolate in shape; flowers generally small, whtte or purple incolour borne on short ax~llan racemes: sepals five in number, connate: petals littleexserted. stamens ten, monadelphous or at length diadelphous; ovary sub-sessile;styles short and lncurved, sttgma terminal and capitate; pods often small, flattened orcylindrical. in clusters of 3-5, densely haity: seeds 1-3 in a pod, or more sometimes;seeds elliptical, compressed, yellow, chocolate or black-coloured. Soybean isprimarily a short-day plant and sensitive to photoperlod.Climate nnd soil conditionIt is generally raised as a kbariflcrop and seeds are sown during the period ofmonsoon from June or July and harvested in December or January, three months crop.It thrcves well in the moist cl~mates and shady sttuatlons; it can be grown also in thedrier parts under irrigation. Soybean is raised either pure or in mixture with maize. Insome pans of Assam it is grow along with aus paddy. Being a legume, soybean canhe cultivated with advantage as a rotation crop with potato, as in Assam, or withsugarcane as In Rihar. It IS grown as a green manure or cover crop in tea estates It isalso ven effecttve In keep~ng down weeds and in pre\,enting so11 erosion.The plant thr~ves best In rich sandy or clayey loams or well-drained alluvialsoil. It can grow In acid as well as in neutral or alkaline sotls. In acid soils, rt respondsto the applicat~on of lime. When grown on product~ve soils, the application of thenitrogenous fertilizers is not necessary, as it IS capable of utilizing atmospheric