Inoculating soybeans properly and with the appropriate product is one of the top two important decisions that factor into the success of the crop (variety selection for your region is the first). A 40-bushel an acre crop will require roughly 200 pounds of nitrogen per acre — properly inoculated soybeans will fix the lion’s share of that. It’s an incredible return on investment, seldom seen for other crop practices.
While many don’t need convincing that inoculating is important, there are still many questions regarding type — liquid, peat-based or granular — rate and survivability of each product. RealAgriculture.com asked Harry Davies, district manager with Becker Underwood, to explain in this Soybean School episode the pros and cons of each inoculant type, why farmers may use more than one and how to minimize bacteria die-off when using inoculants with other products.
In this video, Davies discusses why it’s so important to fill only as much product as you need, especially if using granular, and why you must check inoculant compatibility with starter fertilizer and seed treatments.