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Soybean is a major crop for oil and protein consumption by human, animal and fuel. Crop yield influenced with the application of different nutrients along with recommended dose of fertilizers. On an average 7 to 12 lack liters/ha of water is received during rainy season. Over the last one decade, there is a change in rainfall pattern in the Malwa region. A field experiment was conducted at various farmer’s fields over the years to assess the productivity of soybean, profitability of technologies and improving water use efficiency. The soil of the experimental site was medium black with pH (7.6-8.1), having low organic carbon (0.31%). Soils, in general, are low in N and P and rich in Potash. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with five replications. Study revealed that plant height was maximum in T4 treatment [RDF+ Sulphur (Use of sulphur@20 kg/ha as basal application) + Boron (Use of Boron @1.5 kg/ha as basal application)] followed by the rest treatments in the reverse order [T3>T2>T1]. Pods per plant were significantly more in T4 treatment followed by T3, T2 and Farmer’s practice [10:23:0 kg/ha N:P:K], although T4 and T3 were found at par statistically. It showed that the 100 seed weight, WUE and B:C ratio was highest in T4. Similarly highest yield was recorded in T4 during both years followed by RDF+ BNF [T3], RDF [T2] and FP [T1]. Results revealed higher WUE and yield in treatments with integrated approach of fertilizers and bio-fertilizers. The SYI was the lowest (64.37) where no manure and bio-fertilizers was added in the soil under FP [T1] whereas it was increasing in order in other treatment and highest in T4 where bio-fertilizers were added with recommended dose of fertilizers along with sulphur. The study revealed highest Net return (Rs/ha: 26697) coupled with highest B:C ratio (2.64) in T4 treatment [RDF+S+Bo] while it was lowest Net return (13059 Rs/ha) and B:C ratio(1.92) was found in Farmers Practice[T1]. The difference in yield between FP [T1] and the succeeding treatments ranged from 350 kg ha^-1 to 540.9 kg ha^-1. It can be further concluded that INM practices had a better impact on the WUE and together they contributed to higher partial factor productivity.

Keywords: Soybean, RDF, INM, Sulphur, Boron, Bio-fertilizers, plant height, pods per plant, WUE, yield, Net return, B:C ratio.