Improving Soybean Productivity and Profitability

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Brazil is the top soybean-producing country in the world, accounting for 39% of global soybean production. To maintain this productivity, farmers must navigate countless variables that could hinder their soybean crop from reaching its full potential. Here, we’ll outline some ways farmers in this region optimize their production and yield sustainably. These lessons are broadly applicable anywhere soybeans are farmed.

Rotate crops for more productive soybean seasons

Soil health is one of the most important factors in soybean productivity. Taking care of the soil’s biology will impact the development of the crop. Soils with more diverse beneficial microorganisms create an optimal environment for producing healthy crops. Crop rotation promotes soil biodiversity, including microorganisms in the rhizosphere, which is the soil region influenced by plant roots.

Rotating between soybeans and corn, and using cover crops are beneficial agronomic strategies. Cover cropping in particular helps to:

Promote soil biodiversity
Improve soil moisture retention
Reduce weed infestation
Promote nutrient cycling
Reduce damaging nematode populations
Reduce soil temperature
Increase the overall biomass of crops

Evaluate the physical, chemical and biological aspects of soil

Soil is a complex blend of physical, chemical and biological components. Understanding all these characteristics can improve productivity and sustainability.

Physical structure

Measure soil resistance using a penetrometer. Ideal parameters will vary based on soil type, but general rules are:

Ideal: 1 MPa
Acceptable 1.1 to 1.5 MPa
Restrictive: 1.6 MPa

Biological composition

Assays of enzyme activity produced by soil microorganisms provide a good measure of soil biodiversity and functional productivity. Diverse microorganisms benefit ecosystem processes and healthy crops.

Chemistry

There are four commonly recommended soil chemistry tests:

Soil pH
Phosphorus (P)
Potassium (K)
Micronutrients

Depending on your soil health goals, the location and time that soil samples are taken for soil testing can affect the results. It’s helpful to consult with local soil health specialists regarding when and where to sample and what tests to request in a soil health evaluation. In Brazil, Soil Environmental Accounting, developed by the Brazilian Institute of Sustainable Agriculture, is another tool to help producers understand the chemical, physical and biological parameters of their soil and analyze them in an integrated way.

Slow your planting speed

For ideal seed distribution, set the planter speed no higher than 6 km/hour. Planting at higher speeds can cause unevenness, gaps, double plants and irregular depth, all of which impede the start of your crop. Seed treatments can also be beneficial to protect against diseases, pests and volatile weather conditions as soon as seed is planted.

Defend against nematodes

Damaging nematodes can ravage soybean crops. Biological controls and selective nematicides are useful tactics because they manage plant parasitic nematodes, while protecting beneficial bacteria and nematodes, to maintain soil health.

Optimize nitrogen, nutrients and plant hormones

Soybeans rely on many other inputs for healthy development, including:

Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF): Soybeans require abundant nitrogen because their protein composition depends on the N levels in the plant. Depending on soil test results, soybean inoculation with the nitrogen-fixing bacteria commonly found in soybean root nodules can be essential for productivity. Inoculants such as the bacteria Bradyrhizobium and Azospirillum are common inoculants, usually applied as a seed treatment.

Nutrients: Balanced plant nutrition makes soybean less susceptible to attacks by pests and diseases, and some micronutrients carry out specific roles. Zinc, boron, copper and molybdenum, for example, are essential for increasing grain weight. Sugar Mover® is a biological product from Corteva Agriscience that uses a complex of micronutrients to help plants add grain weight more efficiently.

Hormones: Hormonal balance is important at the vegetative and reproductive phases. Consider using biological products to improve hormonal balance on two fronts: 1) providing hormones that promote plant productivity and 2) inhibiting hormones such as ethylene that can negatively affect grain development.

Biological products help support biological nitrogen fixation, micronutrient availability and plant hormonal balance.

Matching up critical periods in crop development to the right support creates an optimal situation where soybean plants can be naturally more productive, delivering profitable and sustainable benefits to farmers.

Sugar Mover® is not registered for sale or use in all states or countries. Contact your local regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your area. Always read and follow label directions.

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