Due to its significance in fighting global hunger and boosting balanced diet practices, soy is one of the most grown crops globally. Like other crops, it faces significant challenges that can lead to declining quality and yields. These challenges include unpredictable weather, climatic conditions, soil fertility, and weed and pest challenges. Due to large-scale practices, some of these factors can have devastating effects and significant losses to farmers and the entire supply chain.
Soy capacity produced globally does not meet the demand hence the need to produce more and ensure the current fields meet optimal capacity. This requires various practices at different stages, from seed treatment, selection, and planting to harvesting. Here are some tips to help you boost current production levels.
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1. Selecting the Right Soil
Soy performs best in a wide range of soils; however, some will be more essential than others. First, you need the type of soil that will hold water longer before being depleted. Therefore, focus on black cotton, loam soils, red volcanic, and other types that retain the water longer.
The soil should also be loose enough to allow soy to spread its roots for nutrition and water uptake. Due to water retention capabilities, Sandy, rocky, and extremely loose soil will not be suitable.
Certain soils are also ideal for deterring certain diseases, especially those that inhibit pests such as worms from surviving in the soils. Before planting, measure the soil’s nutritional value and frequently analyze soil moisture.
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2. Sustainable Farming Practices
For a while now, soy has been gaining a negative reputation due to the unsustainable practices in some regions, such as Amazon, and other activities, such as logistical practices. Soy is also hailed as one of the crops that can promote ecosystem preservation due to its capabilities and benefits. However, some of these potentials are yet to be realized due to limited implementation.
U.S. soybean farmers and producers focus on sustainable activities to promote production and boost yields. Sustainable soy practices include using certain innovations to boost production without harming the environment. Sustainable practices also involve the incorporation of organic farm practices to boost yields.
Some sustainable activities include sheltering the firms through agroforestry. This includes planting trees around the firms. The trees will act as windbreakers to prevent the effects of winds and soil erosion on the fields. Besides the trees, there is a need for crop rotation practices to boost soil fertility, organic pest control, and weed management.
Other activities, such as mulching, can further boost soil fertility. Soy farmers should also consider animal farming to increase manure productivity and avoid chemical fertilizers that can significantly affect the firms.
Away from crop growing and harvesting, there is a need to streamline the supply channels to make it sustainable. This involves sustainable logistics practices to avoid air pollution. Sustainable logistics may not boost yields, but it’s good for the industry’s reputation and environmental preservation.
3. Pest and Weed Control
Weeds and pests are the greatest threat to soy and can significantly affect production and yield levels. To avoid lower yields, take all the necessary precautions to manage all pests and weeds effectively. Prioritize organic pests and weed management services with the help of local agricultural experts.
If you have to spray the fields, ensure the crops are not affected by the chemicals; neither should the chemicals negatively affect the soil. Therefore, focus on pest-resistant crops manufactured to avoid certain illnesses.
Soil practices can also help you prevent weeds and pests. Organic manure can be good for soil fertility but can harbor promote pests. Therefore, add some chemicals to the manure to avoid pests in the soil and the growth of weeds.
Also, consider crop rotation as a strategy to eliminate pests and weeds. It would be practical to spray multipurpose chemicals. These are the chemicals that can serve as pesticides and herbicides without having any significant impacts on the soil.
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4. Weather Dependent Activities
Soy farms are huge and sometimes challenging to irrigate, especially in regions with limited rainfall. As much as agriculture strives to move away from rain-fed agriculture, there is a need to still rely on weather patterns for specific crops. Soy needs reliable weather and consistent rainfall from growth to maturity. Once it matures, it needs a dry season to support seed maturity and a more dry harvest season.
To avoid irrigating large farms, be aware of weather patterns and maximize your gains without irrigation. Weather should define all your production activities, including harvesting. Be wary of weather changes and conditions such as flooding that may affect crop production capabilities.
5. Planting Activities
When planting soy, you should observe certain practices to facilitate germination, growth, and yield levels. First, ensure the spacing between the crop can allow movement of machines used for spraying or irrigation. The space should also not be too big to let the sun’s rays to get directly to the soil. This will increase evaporation leaving the soil dry.
Ensure they are close enough to protect the soil from direct sunlight; at the same time, all the leaves should directly access the sun to boost photosynthesis hence production volumes. An ideal spacing between the rows should not exceed 15 inches to allow free air circulation within the topsoil levels.
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Conclusion
Soy yield levels depend on farmers’ practices during planting, seed treatment, soil preparations, harvesting, etc. Select suitable soil to improve water retention, air circulation, and the roots spreading to gain more manure. Ensure all the activities implemented are organic and sustainable to support environmental preservation. Prioritize organic sol fertilization, pest, and weed control.
