SOYA BEAN PRODUCTION (GLYCINE MAX)
INTRODUCTION
Soya bean belongs to leguminosae (legume) family and genus glycine. It contains about 40%
protein 20% oil and 34% carbohydrate. It is an economically important crop because of it
versatile use. Chinese and other in Asia have used Soya bean as food for thousands of years.
How ever it is only recent that Soya bean found its way into the human diet in USA, Europe and
Africa providing the much-needed cholesterol free protein and oil. Soya bean was introduced in
Zambia in the 1930s. But remained a minor crop grown mostly by the commercial farmers. The
crop is now grown by both small- and large-scale farmers.
ORIGIN
Soya bean originated in North Eastern China about 1100 – BC, Spread to southern china, Korea,
Japan and other countries in Asia about 100 – 130 years ago into the USA. The major producers
are USA, Brazil and China. 2.2.3.
BOTANY
Growth cycle It is an herbaceous annual legume crop and can grow up to about 30 – 150cm in
height.
Stem
The number of stems varies per cultivar and planting density and the stems are hairy which also
helps as a defence mechanism against pests. The number of stems may range from 1 – 3 per
plant.
Leaves
The leaves are hairy and trifoliate in arrangement. The colour ranges from light green to dark
green and are ovate to lanceolate in shape.
Inflorescence
Consists of small flowers varying in colour from white to deep purple and are self-pollinating.
Fruits
Pods are hairy and are born in clusters on short stalks in groups of 3 to 15 and the colour of the
pods may range from pale yellow to grey in colour. The pods are slightly curved and somewhat
compressed and may contain from 1 to 5 seeds with 2 – 3 being common. The dimension of the
pods is usually 3 – 7cm long and 1 – 2cm in diameter.
Seeds
These are slightly spherical and the testa colour ranges from straw yellow, green to brown. The
weight of 100 seed ranges from 10 – 20g.
USES
Soya bean is grown mainly for seed which is used for:
i. Consumption – either green or dry. Must be roasted to remove trypsin inhibitor.
ii. Extraction of oil for salad oil or margarine.
iii. For making livestock feed.
iv. For making industrial products e.g. soap, glycerine, lotions and paint.
v. For processing into food products e.g. biscuits, Soyee, soy milk and soy butter. 81 2.2.5.
CLIMATIC REQUIRE MENTS
A. TEMPERATURE
The optimum temperature range for Soya bean is 22°c - 35°c Soya bean will not germinate
at temperature below 10.
B. RAINFALL The crop is best suited in region 2 and 3 with a rainfall range of 800 – 1000mm
during the growing period. Too much rains leading to anaerobic condition in the soil may
reduce nodulation.
C. SOIL REQUIREMENTS
Well drain soils, rich in organic matters
Soil varying is texture from sandy, sandy loams to clay loams are recommended
The pH should range between 5.0 – 5.5
ROTATION Soya bean may be grown in rotation with maize, cotton, wheat etc. Maize – Soya
bean Cotton – Soya bean Maize – Cotton – Soya bean Soya bean – Wheat
Soya beans are susceptible to nematodes and therefore should not be grown in rotation with
solanaceous plants or other nematode susceptible crops.
VARIETIES Two types based on nodulation;
a. Non – promiscuous cultivar
These are varieties that are not able to form nodules on their own but will need to
enhance in order for them to form nodules by inoculating them with the bacteria Brady
rhizobium japonicum nodules will fix atmosphere nitrogen. These cultivars are:
i. Kaleya
ii. Tunia
iii. Santa Rosa
How to apply inoculum: mix fresh peat powder inoculum with an equal quantity of
water to make slurry e.g. 100g of inoculum mixed with 100mls of water (or 5% sugar
solution) treats approximately 20kg of seed. To prevent drying out do not open the
inoculum packet until immediately before use. Mix slurry with seed until is evenly
coated. Plant immediately into the moist soil.
b. Promiscuous cultivars
These are cultivars that are able to nodulated on their own naturally without the need of
artificial inoculation. These are;
Magoye and Hermon 147. These can be easily grown by small scale farmers because
they do not need to acquire inoculum.
VARIETIES (CULTIVARS) COMMONLY GROWN
Cultivars commonly grown in Zambia and their agronomic characteristics are as follows:
Cultivar Maturity Pod Resistance Resistance Resistance Potential
in days clearance to to lodging red leaf yield
shattering blotch tonnes/ha
Magoye 125 – average poor good 2.5 – 3.0
135
Hernon 120 – average average good susceptible 2.5 – 3.0
147 130
Tunia average Good 2.5 – 3.0
Santa average Good good 2.5 – 3.0
Rosa
Kaleya average Good good 2.5 – 3.0
Jupiter Good Good good 2.0-2.5
LAND PREPARATION
Land preparation can be started with winter ploughing which cam is done in May –
August period and then 2 weeks before rains start discing can be done. For small scale
farmers ridges of not more than 30cm are made usually with the on – set of the rains.
Conventional tillage can be done; this aims at a weed free seedbed and is done by
ploughing first and then discing to have a fine seedbeds.
PLANTING
In Zambia mid to late December is the right time the plant in region III it can be
extended to early January. Delayed planting leads to a reduction in potential yield, while
early planting may lead to: poor seeding establishment. Early maturing when there is
still plenty of water and this may affect seed quality and lead to a reduction in storability
occurrence of red leaf blotch.
SEED RATE
This varies with cultivars, small seeded cultivars e.g. Magoye have small seed rates while
big seeded cultivars e.g. Hernon 147 have high seed rates.
The recommended seed rate is 75 – 110kg/ha depending on cultivar but as a safety
measure against low germination a slightly high seed rate is normally recommended.
PLANTING DEPTH
The recommended planting depth is 3 – 4cm, seed should not be planted deeper than
4cm as this reduces emergence of seedlings.
PLANT SPACING Soya bean is usually planted by drilling and the following patterns can
be used:
Row spacing Seeds/m
20 10
40 20
60 30
70 40
Under this pattern of planting no thinning is required, Soya bean seed easily loses its
viability therefore planting seed that was not properly stored may lead to poor crop
stands.
PLANT POPULATION
With the above spacings the aim should be to achieve a plant population of between
35,000 – 84 40,000 plants/ha.
FERTILIZER REQUIREMENTS
For enhanced soil fertility, Soya beans needs about 350 – 400kg/ha of compound D for
low fertility soils and 200 – 300kg/ha for medium fertility soils. Where there is an
effective crop rotation programme Soya beans yields reasonable produce even without
fertilisation.
TOP DRESSING
This is not necessary in Soya beans because by this time Soya beans will be fixing its own
nitrogen. The general trend under small – scale farming is not to add any fertilizer at all
as it is believed that Soya beans does not require any fertilizer.
WEED CONTROL – WEED MANAGEMENT
Soya beans 2 – 3 weeding are enough starting 30 days after planting and this should be
repeated at 14 and 21 days after first weeding. Poor weeding can reduce the yield by as
much as 30%.
WEEDING METHODS
Cultural control This includes:
i. Row spacing not wider than 60cm
ii. Approximately planting date, too early planting leads to a proliferation of weeds
iii. Use of high purity seed i.e. seeds with little or no weed seeds.
iv. Use crop rotation programme
MECHANICAL CONTROL
This is mainly achieved by row inter cultivation and is best done when plants are still 5cm tall
and less. As plants grow older mechanical weeding results in damage to both the roots and
foliage.
CHEMICAL CONTROL
This is the use of herbicides. Most chemical used are pre-emergence e.g.
i. Lasso (Alachlor) controls annual grass
ii. Dual (Metalachor) controls annual grass
iii. Sencor (Metribuzin) controls most broad leafed weeds
iv. Basagran (Butazin) this is applied as post emergence, apply at 2 – 3 leaf stage, controls
most broad leafed weeds.
FIELD PESTS AND DISEASES
i. FIELD PESTS
The common pests in Soya beans are: a. Cut worms, if they occur, control by spraying
Dursban 4E at the rate of 30mls ingot 10lts of water or FASTAC 10 % EC. b. Termites
control with Dursban 4E at the rate of 30mls into 10lts of water. c. Looper if they occur,
control with Thiodan 100mls into 10lts of water. d. Eating caterpillar once they occur,
control with Théoden 100mls into 10lts of water.
ii. FIELD DISEASES The common diseases are: i. Red leaf blotch (Pyrenochaeta glycines) ii.
iii. iv. v. Bacterial delight (Pseudomonas glycines) Bacterial pustule (Xanthomonas
glycines) Frog eye leaf spot (Carpospore sojina) Downy mildew (Peronospora
manshulrica) The recommended varieties have resistance to the above diseases. 2.2.14.
HARVESTING Harvesting is usually done by hand under small scale and by combine
harvesters under large scale. 86 SIGNS OF MATURITY Pods change colour- the colour
depends much on cultivar e.g. Hernon change colour to grey on maturity most cultivars
will change colour to golden yellow.
i. Dropping of leaves (Senescence) will start
ii. Shattering will start in some cultivars
iii. Seeds become firm with 12 – 14% moisture content.
TIME OF HARVESTING
In order to avoid losses harvesting should be done as soon as the crop matures. On the actual
day of harvesting should be done in the morning because the presence of dew prevents
shattering and harvesting should be stopped as soon as it gets hot and dry.
DELAYED HARVESTING
Leads to shattering in some cultivars e.g. Magoye and Hernon 147. The usual practice is to
collect the cut plants and then heap them somewhere especially on a concrete slab to continue
drying and eventually threshing.
THRESHING
This is the removal of the seed from the pods and is done by pilling the plants on a concrete
floor or tarpaulin. The plants are then beaten lightly to remove the seeds from the pods; the
removal of seed is very easy if the plants are thoroughly dry.
WINNOWING
Winnowing is necessary in Soya bean to remove the plant debris from threshed seeds.
YIELD
Depending on the management and cultivars, the average yields range from 2 – 3ton/ha.
STORAGE Soya bean should be stored in cool well-ventilated stores. The moisture content
should between 87 10 – 12%.
