Leaving larger space between soya bean plants leads to lower yields irrespective of too much care given. Yield can be increased by maximising plant density.
Soya bean is a rich soil of oils, proteins and minerals important for our health and can be made into different forms ie, milk, enriched flour, cooking oil and cheese. In addition, soya plants improve soil fertility and its bran is a good animal feed.
Maximising density
Use seeds that sprout well and this should have been kept off the ground and in open containers sacs since soya bean is an oily seed that easily looses its viability if not well stored.
To know wether or not seed sprouts well, carry out a germination test by planting 100 seeds in a container or little nursery and water. When at least 80 seeds germinate by one week, then the seed sprouts well.
Before planting the seed obtained, first plough your field wether flat or on ridges but avoid ploughing weedy fields since the heat produced when the weeds rot kills the seeds. After ploughing, soften the soil by beating up the clods.
Preferably plant in shallow holes after a heavy rain at a closer spacing of 20 cm between seedlings and 40 cm between rows since soya bean absorbs nitrogen from the air and uses it for growth hence needs less nutrients from the soil.
Immediately after planting, control pests especially birds but plant about four seeds per hole since some will be eaten up by pests and thin to have two seeds per hole at weeding.
After a few weeks, wild rabbits will be the only pests but control them by night hunting and trapping.
