SOYBEAN

• Understanding about the crop ( Requirements to cultivate the crop)

1. 1. Soybean (Glycine max) is a versatile legume crop that holds significant importance globally, is a leguminous crop cultivated worldwide for its nutritive value in human consumption, cattle consumption, oil extraction and various different purposes. Let’s try to understand its importance. 

 

1. High-Protein Food Source: Soybeans are a valuable source of high-quality protein, containing all essential amino acids. Cultivating soybeans helps meet the demand for protein-rich foods for both human consumption and animal feed.
2. Diversification of Crop Rotation: Incorporating soybeans into crop rotation systems enhances soil fertility and structure. Their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen enriches the soil, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.
3. Economic Value: Soybean cultivation contributes significantly to agricultural economies worldwide. Farmers benefit from the sale of soybeans, soybean meal, and soybean oil, generating income and supporting rural livelihoods.
4. 4. Global Trade: Soybeans are among the most traded commodities globally, with major exporting countries including the United States, Brazil, and Argentina and India. Cultivating soybeans enables countries to participate in international trade, contributing to economic growth and trade balances.

 

5. Food Security: Soybeans play a crucial role in food security by providing a nutritious and versatile crop that can be processed into various food products. They help diversify diets and provide essential nutrients for populations around the world, particularly in regions with protein deficiencies.

 

6. Industrial Applications: Soybeans have diverse industrial applications beyond food and feed. They are used in the production of biodiesel, bio-based plastics, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and industrial lubricants, contributing to the development of sustainable and renewable resources.
7. Environmental Benefits: Sustainable soybean cultivation practices, such as conservation tillage and crop rotation, offer environmental benefits such as soil conservation, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and biodiversity conservation. Cultivating soybeans using sustainable practices helps mitigate environmental impacts associated with agriculture.

By considering these points, it’s evident that soybean cultivation plays a vital role in addressing global food security, supporting rural economies, promoting sustainable agriculture, and meeting the diverse needs of various industries.

• Key features :

1. MSP- Minimum Support Price (MSP) is the minimum price set by the government for certain agricultural products, at which the products would directly be bought from the farmers if the open market prices are less than the cost incurred. Minimum support price of soybean for FY2023-24 is RS 4600.

• Land preparation 

• Select a well drained plot of land with medium depth. 

1. 1.  Land should undergo a deep ploughing, and then pulverized to form a frowning and arable texture of soil. 
   2.  Ph of soil should be between 6to 7.5, which is suitable for soybean production.

• Seed treatment–  

1. 1. 1. For soil borne fungal diseases, seed should be treated with carbendazim 37.5% + thiram 37.5% @ 3 gm per kg
      2. Azokistrobin2.5% + Thyophinate 11.25% + Thymithoxzam 25% S S  should be used @ 100 ml per 10 kg of seed against the infestation of stem borer in early stages of crop.
      3. Treat the seeds with 3 packets (600 g/ha) of Rhizobial culture and 3 packets  ofPhosphobacteria  using rice kanji as binder. If the seed treatment is not carried out apply 10 packets of Rhizobium (2000 g/ha)  and 10 packets (2000 g)  of Phosphobacteria with 25 kg of FYM and 25 kg of soil before sowing.  Dry the bacterial culture treated seeds in shade for 15 minutes before sowing.

• Seed and Sowing 

• Soybean has less germination rate compared to other crops.

1. 1. 1. Therefore the seed with the germination percentage more than 70% should be used @ 75 kg per ha .
      2. Sowing should be done in the first week of july , sowing done after 15th of July will hamper the yield of the crop.
      3. Seed should be sown at the depth of 4 cm
      4. Row to row distance  should be 45 cm and the distance between two plants should be aprox 5 cm.

• Irrigation management-

1. 1. 1. Soybean is a kharif crop , so it  mainly depends upon rain for  irrigation. Irrigation is required mostly in three important stages of soybean life cycle
      2.  First irrigation is required during the branching stage of  life cycle ie after 30 to 35 days of sowing 
      3. Second irrigation is required during the flowering stage of life cycle of soybean ie after 45 to 50 days.
      4. Third irrigation is required during the pod filling stage of soybean .
      5.  These  are the critical stages of irrigation in soybean , and failure to meet the irrigation requirement at this stages will lead to production losses.

• Nutrient management- 

1. 1. 1. Basel dose – Use of well decomposed FYM 12 to 15 ton per ha
      2. Apply 50 kg nitrogen , 75 kg phosphorus and  45 kg potassium during the sowing period .
      3. Mix all the fertilizers well in the soil before sowing.

• Inter cultural operations

• After 15 to 20 days , do gap filling and thinning wherever required

• Harrowing should  be done after 15 to 20 days as the weed starts growing .

• Pest management

1. 1. Soybean stem borer – Use Thymethoxam 30 % @10 ml per kg of seed during seed treatment
   2. White fly , sucking pest – Spray imadocloprid  45% S S @2.5 ml per litre of water
   3. Spodoptera – Spray endoxacarb 15.80% EC 6ml or spinetoroum 11.70 EC @ 1ml per litre 
   4. Girdle beetle –  Thyocloprid 29.7 EC 15 ml per 10 litre of water.

• Harvesting 

1. 1. When the pod of soybean turns dry and yellow 
   2. According tothe variety,harvesting time differs .
   3.  If it gets too late to harvest the crop , the pods starts to burst open and there is chance off considerable losses . 

• do’s 

1. 1. Select the proper land which is well drained .
   2. Irrigate the crop at every critical stage 

• Dont’s 

1. 1. Water should not remain stagnant in the field for a longer times
   2.  Avoid excessive use of nitrogenous fertilizers as it could lead to infestation of leaf eating bcaterpillar.