Most soybeans are grown either in the United States or Brazil. This small bushy green plant related to clover, peas, and alfalfa is also the world’s foremost provider of protein and oil. Soybeans find their way into hundreds of edible products, including:
- Cooking oils
- Coffee creamers
- Margarine
- Mayonnaise
- Pharmaceuticals
- Chocolate coatings
- Candy
- Soy sauce
Technical uses are plentiful as well. Soybeans have application in:
- Anti-corrosion agents
- Diesel fuel
- Electrical insulation
- Paints and inks
How extensive is U.S. soybean production?
Farmers in 31 states grow soybeans, making soybeans the second largest crop in cash sales, preceded only by corn. About 108 million tonnes are produced annually in the U.S., which accounts for 34% of the world’s soybean production. Almost 89 million acres of land are under soybean cultivation in the United States.
Of the soybeans grown in the United States, about half are exported. The top three countries the U.S. exports to are:
- China
- EU
- Mexico
What nutrients do soybeans need?
Bringing a healthy soybean crop to market is what every profitable farmer wants to do. One of the best ways to do this is to make sure the crop has the right essential nutrients for growth. Boron is an essential micronutrient needed in soybean production. Boron fertilization has been shown to increase grain yield at many locations throughout the United States. University researchers have found yield increases ranging from 2.4 to 12 bushels per acre (or a 7-20% increase).
Boron supplementation with
Solubor® fertilizer borate is recommended during the middle stage of the soybean’s growth, and is applied as a leaf spray. When farmers see the first flowers in their soybean field, it’s time to start applications of
Solubor. Following this, the plants are at the critical reproductive stage as the flowering ends and the pod in which the beans develop begins to form.
Why is Solubor the right micronutrient solution?
Solubor gives the soybean plant a micronutrient boost of boron just as the plant enters the crucial bean maturing stage. It also has proven to increase bloom retention, pod numbers, and bean yields.
Solubor can be sprayed alone or with insecticides or fungicides.
Promising results have been discovered with the combined use of
Solubor and an insecticide called Dimilin*.
University of Georgia researchers have consistently found that the combination resulted in a 10% or more increase in yield.** When applying boron and Dimilin together, there appears to be an improved pod set and retention as well as better insect control, particularly for the velvetbean caterpillar and soybean looper.
Soybeans may be overshadowed by lofty crops like corn, but its value in everyday life makes it a giant in its own right. And,
Solubor fertilizer borate is helping to play a part in the soybean’s success story.
*Dimilin is a registered trademark of Arysta LifeScience North America LLC.
** From
Dimilin/boron recommended in Georgia soybeans
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