30

may

Kharif Season Blog #3 - Cultivating Soybean

Soybean has been commercially grown in india for more than 4 decades and has established itself as a major Kharif season crop in the rain-fed agricultural areas of India. This establishment of soya in Indian agriculture has led to an improvement in the intensity of cultivation and thus to an overall increase in profitability per unit area. The following blog post will inform you about the most important precautionary and yield-boosting measures for a bountiful soybean growing season:

Land Preparation

In order to render insects and pests harmless, the field should be ploughed deeply in early summer. To enrich the field with generative natural fertilizer bring 4 to 5 tons of cow fertilizer per acre onto the field after ploughing. Soybean cultivation demands soil with good drainage and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. To ensure good drainage, soil drains with a slight slope should be aimed for. In the Advisory section of the Plantix App you will find detailed information and How-To's on field preparation.

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Crop Rotation

Crop rotation is key in all crops to break disease and insect cycles, reduce soil erosion and increase soil fertility. Additionally, rotational studies have shown that soybeans in a corn/soy rotation yielded 8% more than growing soybeans in monocultures.

Pests such as soy cyst nematodes, white mould and sudden death syndrome can survive in soil or crop residues for up to two years and thus easily infest subsequent soybean crops. Even if you have no experience with crop rotation, Plantix can help you grow crops that you have little experience with. Simply set up a new crop in Advisory to receive step-by-step instructions for the entire growing cycle of all major Indian crops.

Variety Selection

Several high-yielding varieties have good resistance or tolerance to most of the major diseases such as sudden death syndrome (SDS), phytophthora and white mould. Varieties resistant to soy cyst nematodes are also available. When choosing which soy variety is right for your region and soil conditions, you should consider the following characteristics: Maturity, yield potential, disease and pest resistance, iron deficiency tolerance (chlorosis), lodging score, as well as size and specific quality characteristics of the soybean such as protein and oil content.

Pest Prevention Measures

Site selection: Avoid sites with pests and physical or chemical soil problems, unless these issues cannot be remedied.

Early planting: Early planting ensures that only a few caterpillars of the late season will develop in the field. Nevertheless, some fields planted early may be more attractive to thrips and leaf hoppers.

Narrow rows (21″ or less): A fully covered canopy permits greater biological control through beneficial predators, parasites and diseases. Furthermore, narrow-row soybeans are less attractive to several egg-laying moths.

Proper usage of pesticides: Since this reduces the accumulation of beneficial insects and can lead to a stronger caterpillar infestation in the off-season, avoid the unjustified use of insecticides. Furthermore, insecticides that are intended to exterminate corn earworms, but are used too early, can do exactly the opposite and lead to a serious infestation of corn earworms. A low rate of the carbamate insecticide (Larvin) will only slightly interfere with beneficial insectivores and usually reduce beetles or worms to below the threshold when properly timed and applied.

Our #PlantiXperts in the Plantix Community will be happy to advise you on the right mode and duration of plant protection product use.