Sowing depth - a significant factor for establishing the optimal number of plants per unit area of soybean

Abstract

The number of plants per unit area has a great influence on soybean yield. The achieved composition depends primarily on the quality of the seeds, but also on the quality of soil preparation, meteorological conditions, the correctness of the seeder and the depth of sowing. In soybean production, it often happens that the pre-sowing preparation is done immediately before sowing, the sowing layer of the soil does not settle enough, and the sowing is done at a greater depth than optimal. Due to too deep sowing, germination and germination of soybean plants is difficult, the composition is thinned, and the achieved yield is reduced. Too shallow sowing also often occurs due to inadequate tillage or sowing to uneven depths. If the surface layer of the soil dries out after sowing, the seedlings will deteriorate, the composition will thin out and the soybean yield will decrease. The aim of this research is to consider the optimal, shallow, and deep sowing of soybean seeds on the number of plants per unit area, as a condition for achieving maximum soybean yield. By sowing to a depth of 3 to 5 cm in 2017 and 3 to 6 cm in 2017, a set of plants over 400,000 ha-1 was achieved, while with increasing or decreasing sowing depth, the number of sprouted plants significantly decreased.