In Maharashtra, soybean is cultivated on an area of 3.8 M ha with production of 3.07 m ton with second rank in India. However, low productivity of the crop remains a major problem of soybean cultivation, necessitating the need to ascertain the problems faced by soybean growers. Therefore, a study was conducted in the 20 villages of five districts of western Maharashtra. A survey method using personal interview of 100 farmers and focused group discussion with villagers, were used for data collection during the year 2013-14. Study found that labour problems, irrigation facilities, weed management, marketing of produce, pest and disease management were the top five constraints faced by the farmers in soybean cultivation. Shortage of labour and higher wages during peak period (95%) was major labour related constraints faced by farmers. In irrigation, farmers reported lack of irrigation facilities (81%) as major constraints in soybean cultivation. Proper farm mechanization, water conservation measures, short duration drought resistant varieties of soybean, timely supply of institutional credits and training to farmers on improved cultivation practices are important suggested measures to overcome the constraints faced by these farmers, for sustainable and profitable soybean production.

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A field experiment was carried out during kharif season of 2016 and 2017 at an experimental farm of MACS Agharkar Research Institute, Pune, India to study the influence of foliar application of nutrient on growth, yield, economics, soil nutritional status and nutrient uptake of soybean crop. An experiment was laid out in randomized block design (RBD) comprising of three replications and nine treatments. Recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) was applied as basal application to all treatments. Seven treatments consisted of different doses of nutrients as foliar application at pod initiation stage. Water spray at pod initiation stage and RDF alone were treated as control. The results revealed that, growth attributes, nodulation and its weight, morpho-physiological parameters, yield and its attributes, nutritional parameters and economics significantly differed by various foliar nutrition treatments except control and RDF + water spray. RDF + Urea 2% (3098 kg ha-1) gave significantly higher seed yield over control (2704 kg ha-1) and RDF + water spray (2686 kg ha-1) but was at par with RDF + DAP 2% (3050 kg ha-1), RDF + MOP 0.5% (2992 kg ha-1) and RDF + Molybdenum 0.5% (2955 kg ha-1). The increase in seed yield with foliar application of 2% Urea along with RDF was 14.57% over control and 15.34% over RDF + water spray. Higher net returns (Rs. 49,006/- ha-1) and benefit: cost ratio (2.23:1) was obtained in treatment RDF + Urea 2% followed by RDF + DAP 2% foliar spray. Availability of N, P and K was significantly higher with treatment RDF + Urea 2% foliar spray over control and RDF + water spray. N and P uptake by soybean plants was significantly higher in treatment RDF + 2% Urea over RDF + water spray and RDF alone (control).

A field experiment was carried out in rainy seasons of 2009, 2010 and 2011 to study the effect of irrigation schedules on yield, water use efficiency and other traits in soybean. Seven irrigation schedules consisted of irrigations at seedling stage (15-20 days after sowing), flower initiation stage, seed filling stage (20 days after flower initiation) and four different combinations of these 3 stages. Irrigation at flower initiation + seed filling stages produced the highest seed yield (3221 kg/ha). Maximum average values for seed index (14.59 g) and harvest index (50.87%) were recorded in this treatment. This treatment also recorded maximum net returns (₹ 44028/ha) followed by irrigation at seedling + flower initiation + seed initiation stages (₹ 42046/ha) and flower initiation stage (₹ 41880/ha). Control (no irrigation) had maximum water use efficiency (84.85 kg/ha/cm) followed by irrigation at flower initiation stage (83.30 kg/ha/cm). Studies indicated that irrigation to the soybean crop at flower initiation and seed filling stages helps to obtain the optimum yield and earn maximum net returns.