Cultivation and Care of Soybeans, Corn, Wheat, and More
Soybeans
Soybeans are an annual grass. In the spring (for the first seven months) and summer (for the second three months).
- Shaft: Rigid and erect, 0.4 to 1.5 meters in height, usually branched, prone to lodging.
- Root System: Taproot up to 1 meter deep, where the nodules are located.
- Leaves: Alternate, trifoliate.
- Flowers: Racemose inflorescences found in varying numbers in the axils.
- Fruit: Dehiscent pod. Each fruit contains 3 to 4 seeds.
- Seed: Spherical, yellow with a black hilum. Rich in proteins and oils.
Ideal Conditions for Successful Soybean Development
- Development temperatures between 20 and 30°C. No development under 10°C. Resists freezing. Temperatures greater than 40°C cause damage.
- Between 15 and 20°C for planting and 15°C for flowering.
- Moisture during cultivation: 300mm of irrigation water or rain.
- Soil: Not demanding, prefers nutrient-rich soils.
- pH 6, sensitive to soil flooding. Resistant to salinity.
Corn
Annual production: Always September (spring).
- Stem: Up to 4 meters, robust, straight, without branching, cane-like appearance with internodes.
- Leaves: Long, large, scorched, stem ends are sharp and cutting.
- Roots: Fasciculated, provide perfect anchorage.
Conditions for Proper Corn Development
- Requires temperatures of 25 to 30°C with a good incidence of sunlight. Germination between 15 and 20°C.
- Tolerates up to 9°C, but problems arise above 30°C.
- For fructification, 20 to 32°C.
- Requires large amounts of water, about 5 mm per day for growth.
- Adapts to all soil types with a pH between 6 and 7. Requires deep soils rich in organic matter with good drainage.
Wheat
Planted in June/July. Belongs to the grass family.
- Root: Fasciculated with several branches.
- Stalk: Hollow rod with 6 knots, up to 2 meters with few branches.
- Leaf: Elongated, pointed, straight.
- Inflorescence: Spike composed of a stalk on which the spikelets are arranged alternately.
- Grain: Caryopsis.
Wheat Development Conditions
- Minimum temperature 3°C, maximum 33°C, optimum 10 to 25°C.
- Requires between 40 and 70% humidity.
- Low water requirements.
- Prefers deep, loose, fertile soil, free from flooding.
- pH between 6 and 7.5.
Sunflower
- Root: Typical taproot.
- Stem: Straight and single, herbaceous oilseed plant.
The terminal buds and leaves turn east at sunrise. Sunflower contains up to 50% oil in its fruit, called a cypsela. This oil is used to produce flour and biodiesel, and it is used for cattle feed.
Other Important Terms
- Cereals: Grain fruit that grows from the grass family, such as corn, rice, and sorghum.
- Grasses: Monocotyledonous family with a hollow cylindrical stem with a spike flower (e.g., wheat).
- Oilseeds: Plants with fruits that contain oil that is extracted by pressure.
- Pasture: Forage species that last several years and do not grow spontaneously.
- Pure Pastures: Consist of a single species (e.g., weeping lovegrass, black sorghum).
- Mixed Pastures: Consist of more than one species.
Advantages of Mixed Pastures
- Increased quantity and quality of forage.
- Prolonged grazing period.
- Reduced risk of soil erosion.
Factors to consider when choosing species: Adaptation to environmental conditions, the purpose of the pasture, palatability, and balance.
Fodder
All vegetable food that is used to feed animals. Optimize water and gain ground by:
- Increasing water availability: Consider plant respiration, dry air, etc.
- Rotational grazing instead of burning: Cattle eat the plants they like first, and the harsh ones are burned until they are gone.
Agrochemicals
Chemical substances used in agriculture, such as herbicides and fertilizers.
Fertilizer
Natural or synthetic chemical substance or mixture used to enrich the soil and promote plant growth. Necessary nutrients include carbon, hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, calcium (neutralizes the soil), and iron. Nitrogen is incorporated into the soil by bacteria. The three main elements of all fertilizers are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Examples include guano, manure, bone meal, and wood ashes.
Herbicide
Product used to kill plants. Can be:
- Residual: Applied to bare ground, not active on perennial plants.
- Systemic: Applied to the ground, controlling the product down to the root.
- Selective: Kill a specific type of weed while respecting the desired crop.
- Pre-emergence: Applied before the emergence of the crop.
- Post-emergence: Applied after the emergence of the crop.