Soja-on-top
Cultivation of soy without land competition through mixed cultivation in wheat and silage maize
Challenges
- Potential demand for land in Hesse for the production of soy for feed and food purposes exceeds the current area under soy cultivation many times over; the majority is imported from third countries.
- High cultivation risk of soy, preference for "safe" crops such as cereals or common grain legumes
- Due to the scarcity of land, a noticeable increase in soybean acreage would mean a corresponding reduction in the cultivation of other crops.
- Problem of pigeon damage to soybean seedlings
Planned innovation & aims
The aim of the project is to develop a cultivation system that increases the cultivation security for soy and does not require any additional land while simultaneously increasing biodiversity.
- Mixed cultivation of soya in winter wheat and silage maize; soy in addition to the wheat yield from the same area ("on top").
- Improved utilisation of the growing season and harvesting of the products at different dates ("wide row")
- Creation of a basis for regional value creation in this area
Implementation
- Procedure implementation and sampling/monitoring, analysis and scientific preparation and presentation.
- Implementation in practice: Testing of existing technology for the process; formulation of modifications and development requirements compared to agricultural technology in the areas of sowing technology, maintenance technology, harvesting technology.
- Specification of wheat and soybean varieties: Elaboration and provision of varieties for the detection of the requirements for the procedure mixture partner wheat
- Communication: creation/maintenance of project homepage, organisation of practical events, coordination of the creation of publications/practical media; networking
- Agricultural technology: if necessary, bringing in partners from the agricultural technology sector (sowing technology, control, maintenance technology, harvesting technology).
Lead Partner
Justus-Liebig-University
Professorship of Organic Farming with focus on sustainable soil use
Dr. Konstantin Becker
Phone: 0641 9937732
Mail: konstantin.becker@agrar.uni-giessen.de
members of the operational group (OG)
Landbauschule Dottenfelderhof e.V.
Forschungsring e.V.
3 landwirtschaftliche Unternehmen
Taifun Tofu GmbH, Landwirtschaftliches Zentrum für Sojaanbau & Entwicklung
Project duration
2018-2021
Funding