Soybean harvest 22/23: six tips for the final phase of soybean crop management until harvest

In Brazil, expectations are high for the soybean harvest. Recent estimates from the National Supply Company (Conab) point to a production volume of around 153,5 million tons in the 2022/23 harvest.

With around 43,2 million hectares across the country dedicated to soybean cultivation, farmers must pay attention to the best management, preparing for the final phase of crop management until the soybean harvest. In order to help during this period, the senior manager of Technical Product Development for Agricultural Solutions at BASF, Sérgio Zambon, prepared six tips for farmers who want to harvest a quality harvest and have more profitability.

1 - Application technology: maintenance and adjustment of sprayers

Spraying is one of the activities that deserves extra attention. In addition to the losses that can be caused by the crushing of crops and poor maintenance of equipment, it is possible to have financial and product losses due to inadequate calibrations. Some basic procedures must be taken before starting spraying, such as checking ideal weather conditions (temperature between 20°C-30°C, humidity 70%-90% and wind speed of 3-10 km/h), using water of good quality.

2 - Use qualified labor to carry out the activities

Qualified labor is a constant challenge for agriculture. According to Regulatory Standard No. 12, machines and other equipment must be operated by duly qualified professionals, and this type of training is provided by the employer. “Ideally, rural producers should offer professional technical courses to their employees,” says Zambon, also highlighting the importance of using appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). The courses generally provide the theoretical and practical bases necessary for workers to be able to perform their duties safely and guarantee productivity for the business.

3 - Use appropriate and efficient products and take care of the selectivity of products for cultivation

There are two types of selectivity: ecological, in which chemicals are used so that they do not directly reach natural enemies, based on the ecological and behavioral differences between them and the pest. And physiological selectivity, which is based on the physiological differences between pests, predators and parasitoids. Selectivity may refer to the dose used or the mode of action. And no less important is the selectivity of the products to the plants, opting to choose products with less aggressive formulations that do not cause harm to the plants. “It is important to pay attention to this factor and ask the responsible technical team to check the selectivity of the products used in the crop”, guarantees the manager.

4 – Keep an eye on the weather

Efficient management must take into account a series of factors, including the climate before and during plant protection. Avoid spraying hours before rain, or in the presence of dew. Strong winds also harm the final result of the spraying and can move the drops away from the target to be reached. In general, the ideal temperature for applying solutions to crops is between 20ºC and 30ºC and relative humidity above 60%.

5 – Plan the harvest

Poor harvester regulation can increase these losses, increase the number of volunteer plants and reduce the producer's profit margin. Therefore, it is necessary to plan and carry out maintenance periodically, pay attention to the speed of operation, monitor any losses to understand the progress of the work and, again, invest in training the workforce to operate the machinery.

6 - Schedule the transportation and storage of grains

Grain storage and transportation should appear on the priority list of all farmers and cooperatives. In addition to the financial aspect, the nutritional quality of the product is also at stake. At this stage, it is necessary to take care of grain moisture, cleaning, pest control, transport in suitable trucks and use tarpaulin warehouses or silos to store the cargo. “This set of good practices is the starting point for achieving crop longevity and ensuring maximum harvest profitability. Together with BASF solutions, the farmer can guarantee another good harvest”, concludes Zambon.