The growing season for summer soybeans between two rice crops is typically very short, from May 25 to June 5. If planting summer soybeans in fields that are harvested late after June 5, farmers need to prepare soybean seedlings. By cultivating summer soybean seedlings, they can stagger the planting and shorten the growing season by 5-7 days. Here, we share the experience of preparing summer soybean seedlings from farmers in Hiep Hoa, Bac Giang.
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Growing Soybeans (Photo: longdinh) |
The amount of soybean seeds required is 1.5 – 2 kg per 1,000 square meters in the northern region. Short-day varieties such as DT 99 and DT 12 are commonly used. Both DT 99 and DT 12 can be grown in all three seasons: spring, summer, and autumn-winter. These varieties have thick stems and good resistance to lodging, growing to a height of 50 – 55 cm. The young stems are greenish-white, and the flowers are white. The growth duration for the summer season is 72 – 75 days, with an average yield of 1.6 – 1.8 tons per hectare. The seeds are round and bright yellow, with good resistance to rust and downy mildew.
Preparing Soybean Seedlings: The preparation method is as follows: You will need 5-6 square meters of seedbed for every 1,000 square meters. Mix 70% sand with 30% fertile soil to create a loose mixture, forming a 10 cm thick layer on a solid ground base. Use 1.5 – 2 kg of high-quality seeds purchased from reputable seed stores to prepare seedlings for every 1,000 square meters. Spread a layer of soil and sand 8 cm thick, then water thoroughly with a watering can. Sow the seeds spaced 1-1.5 cm apart and cover them with 1 – 1.5 cm of the soil-sand mixture. Lightly mist the surface using a watering can. Be careful not to let water pool on the surface. If it rains, cover the area with plastic sheeting to prevent seed rotting. After the seeds germinate, water lightly once a day for the next three days to maintain 70 – 75% moisture. Seedlings should be uprooted when they are 6 – 10 days old and have 1-2 true leaves (carefully shake off excess soil). It is advisable to transplant the soybeans in the afternoon to reduce transplant shock, placing 2-3 seedlings per hole at the specified distance. If the soil is wet, add a handful of dry soil at the base to secure it, then cover the small soil around the base and water thoroughly as per the guidelines.
One to two days before transplanting, farmers should spray to prevent stem borer and root rot diseases affecting the seedlings with Padan 95SP or Regent 800WG + Anvil 5-10EC or Validamycin 3-5SL. Care for the transplanted soybeans should be prompt, applying 3-4 kg of urea + 10-15 kg of superphosphate + 2 kg of potassium chloride in 3-4 applications, spaced 5-7 days apart after the soybean plants have established roots and resumed greening. Dilute the mineral fertilizers with clean water for application. After applying mineral fertilizers, use a watering can to rinse the leaves with clean water to prevent burning of the young leaves.
