Growing soya beans in Zambia, the Syngenta way

By Admore Nyaguze, Head of Commercial Syngenta Zambia

Soya beans (Glycine max) is a crucial food legume crop being cultivated extensively in our country Zambia on large and small-scale farms.

Growers must follow basic agronomic principles when growing soya beans to maximize yields and get a higher return on investment: They must know when to plant, which latest robust varieties to plant, which fertilisers to apply, how to manage pests and diseases, and many other factors. This article deals with some of our new innovations, crop protection, and seed treatment from Syngenta.

Seed treatment

Syngenta is excited to introduce Soyastarter+, a seed treatment combi pack consisting of APRON® Plus Beans and Atuva. Apron^® Plus Beans is a fungicide seed treatment that protects your soya seed from important seed and soil diseases.

By protecting the seed from planting, APRON^® Plus Beans gives you optimum emergence with a stronger stand for maximum quality and yield. ATUVA^® is an inoculant formulated with Osmo Protection Technology to strengthen the bacteria against harsh conditions for maximum nodulation and biological nitrogen fixation (BNF). It gives the grower a greater treatment window, hence more flexibility and operational efficiency during the planting season (up to 7 days).

Weed control

It is critical to keep the soya beans weed free for optimum yields. Chemical control measures can be either pre-planting – TOUCHDOWN Forte^® Hitech or pre-emergence – DUAL MAGNUM^®.

Once the soya beans have germinated, any weeds that emerge can be controlled using selective herbicides. Depending on the type of weeds, Syngenta has two solutions: FLEX^® for broadleaf weeds and FUSILADE FORTE^® for grasses. Herbicides should be applied when weeds are young and actively growing. Always read the labels before applying and obtain all the necessary guides. Adhere strictly to the application rates as shown on the product label.

Insect control

Soya beans can be attacked by pests at any stage from seedling to harvest, hence the importance of regular crop scouting cannot be overstated. Many pests have a major impact on yield and quality, and intervention with pesticides is frequently unavoidable. Syngenta has an excellent insecticide range for the pests common in soya beans; CRUISER^® 600FS is a seed treatment insecticide, while AMPLIGO^® and DENIM FIT^® are foliar solutions.

Disease control

Soya beans can be affected by diseases throughout the growing season. Seed treatment fungicides such as the previously mentioned Apron^® Plus Beans do a good job in controlling seedling diseases from planting.

During the season, many leaf diseases are common on soya beans, and Syngenta has introduced the MIRAVIS™ Duo, a new unique fungicide that delivers the promise of consistent long-lasting broad-spectrum disease control.

This is powered by ADEPIDYN^® Technology for superior performance and consistency. We have AMISTAR Top^®, powered by AMISTAR^® Technology, a reliable technology with a proven track record amongst other Syngenta fungicides that are registered for the use in this crop.