Legumes - The Manual of Seed Saving - page 146

GROWING FOR SEED Soybeans are sown in central Europe (zone 6) in mid to late spring, with later
sowings leading to late ripening and lower yields. Early varieties ripen—depending upon location—in
late summer, early autumn, late varieties in midautumn. The soybean sends down a taproot as much as
6.5 ft. (2 m) deep that develops multitudinous lateral roots. Planting distances: 2-3 in. (5-8 cm) within
the row, 10-14 in. (25-35 cm) between rows. Row spacing for some very bushy varieties may need to
be larger. Home gardeners with a shorter growing season may find starting seeds indoors helpful, with
cultivation methods (tillage, fertilization, watering) being the same as for the common bean. Weeding
regularly during the first few weeks is important, as it takes plants this long to grow together and cover
the ground.
HARVEST Harvest entire soybean plants, rather than individual pods, which are sharp, pointy, and dif-
ficult to open by hand. Thresh smaller amounts in a bag, larger amounts with a belt thresher (a ma-
chine with lower and upper conveyor belts that move at different speeds, rubbing the pods until they
open). Seeds can be bright yellow, golden yellow, brown, green, black, brindled, spotted, or marbled.
SELECTION CHARACTERISTICS The soybean is a diverse crop, with an estimated 15,000 varieties
distinguished by growth habit (bush or climbing), height, flower color, seed size and shape, harvest
time, and nutritional content. Only a relative few (early varieties with a short growing season) are ap-
propriate for cultivation in central Europe's zone 6 climate. Potential selection criteria:
• early ripening
• higher number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, pod resistance to explosion
• large seeds
• cold tolerance
• stability (lodging resistance)
Soy—hidden in plain sight
Many different uses for the soybean have been developed throughout the world. The entire plant
can be used as fodder or green manure. Flour from soybean seeds turns up in everything from
cereal flakes to powdered spices, milk, and even as an industrial impregnating agent or paper
glue. Soy oil is found in candles, candies, cosmetics, and in mayonnaise. Unripe soybeans are
dried, pickled, or canned. Ripe soybeans are eaten as a vegetable, made into tofu, and slipped in-
to ice cream or pasta. Even this long list of uses is far from complete. In recent years, large
amounts of GM soy has been used in industrial food processing; Roundup-Ready soy, which was
bred to tolerate that general herbicide, is one of the most widely grown varieties in the USA and
Brazil.
DISEASES AND PESTS There are no significant diseases or pests of soybeans in Europe, as they are
grown only in limited areas; Arche Noah has yet to observe any problems.