Suitability of Soybean Varieties under Second Year Populus deltoides Plantation in Tarai Region of Uttarakhand

An experiment to evaluate the performance of different varieties of soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill) under two year poplar based agroforestry system was conducted during kharif season in tarai region of Uttarakhand. Four varieties of soybean viz., PS 1042, PS 1225, PS 1347 and PS 1024 of soybean were grown under poplus, and as sole crop. Germination count/m² and plant height was not significantly influenced by growth conditions. Growing condition significantly influenced primary branches and number of pods per plant of soybean however; grains per pod, pod length per plant and hundred grains weight (g) were insignificant. Among the varieties, all the yield attributes were higher in PS 1225 except hundred grains weight which was higher in PS 1042. Grain and straw yield were found to be higher in open system (sole soybean) as compared to under shade of poplar showing reduction of 3.94 and 9.86 per cent, respectively. Soybean variety PS 1225 recorded highest grain yield (2996 kg/ha) as compared to all other varieties under-storey poplar. However, maximum harvest index was observed in PS 1347 (44.22 %). It can be concluded that soybean crop can be successfully grown under poplar during second year of plantation.