Effects of Ridge Height in Dry Paddy Field on Growth and Seed Yield of Soybean Cultivars

Excessive soil water in paddy field induces growth losses during the vegetative stages of soybean plants. Our objectives were to know growth responses of soybean as affected by the level of ridge heights. A field experiment was conducted at the Research Farm of Korea University near Seoul in 1996. Ten cultivars of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) were planted at the ridge heights of 10, 30, and 50cm in paddy soil on 27 June. Total dry matter accumulation at the 10cm ridge height was severely decreased until the growth stage of R5 as compared to the ridge heights of 30 and 50cm, and this decrement was mainly due to both reduced leaf and stem dry weights. However, seed dry weight was not significantly decreased at the lower ridge height with the increment of harvest index. Cultivar differences were found on seed dry weight, crop growth rate from R1 to R5, and leaf/stem ratio of R5. From the above results, soybean growth responses to excessive soil water in paddy field were different between seed filling stage and late vegetative to early reproductive growth stages.