Soybean (Glycine max L. merril) occupies third position among the oil seed crops in India after groundnut and rapeseed mustard. The present area under soybean in India is estimated to be around 5.00 million hectares. Madhya Pradesh is the leading state with first rank in the area (424 lakh ha.) and production (325 lakh tones) of soybean in India. Soybean cultivation area is under about 400 hectors in Balaghat district of M.P. However the average productivity is very less (7.25 q/ha) in comparison to the productivity of Madhya Pradesh (10.00 q/ha) and India (9.5 q/ha). Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Balaghat during the period from 1994-95 to 1998-1999 in 15 villages of three blocks, conducted frontline demonstrations of Soybean. The results were compared with the full package of practices given viz.- improved variety, seed treatment, timely line sowing, balanced fertilizer, weeding, plant protection etc and farmers practices included local/ old variety, broadcasting sowing method, imbalanced fertilizer doses, no weeding and no plant protection practice. The FLDs in soybean registered 60% higher yield over farmers practice on an average. The highest seed yield (1830 kg/ha) was recorded in the year 1995- 96 in FLD, which was 46% more over the farmers practice (1250 kg/ha). The productivity and income gain under FLDs. over traditional practices of soybean cultivation created greater awareness and motivated the other farmers to adopt appropriate production technology of soybean in the district. Many farmers approached the FLD adopted farmers to procure the seed of high yielding varieties of soybean and now the area under these varieties have increased which will spread in the whole district including the adjoining area. The selection of critical input and participatory approach in planning and conducting the demonstration definitely help in the transfer of technology to the farmers.

Keyword: Front Line Demonstrations (FLD),