Agriculture for environment, key to strengthening soybean production in Argentina’s NEA Region

With an area that reaches 10 percent of the national total, the NEA region in Argentina has registered the greatest expansion in recent years. 

 

The Argentinean National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) Las Breñas in Chaco province, has proposed some plans to maximize yields. It consists of a sector-wise division of the site that is carried out according to soil maps, topography, harvester performance maps, etc002E

 

Researchers from INTA Las Breñas highlighted the production potential of the region and focused on the practices that can be implemented to maximize yields. 

 

In recent years, the NEA region has become a dynamic agricultural region thanks to the possibility of incorporating new land devoted to agriculture. In fact, in Chaco province, in an area of 700 thousand hectares, soy has been the main crop for more than 15 years. 

 

The INTA Las Breñas -Chaco has proposed management practices to reduce the gap between the yields obtained and those that could be achieved.

 

The characterization of the climatic conditions together with rotation schemes and adjustments in the dates of sowing are fundamental for the efficient management of resources.

 

Specialists in crop management at INTA Las Breñas, highlighted the productive potential of the region and focused on practices that could be implemented to maximize yields. They believed priority should be accorded to those factors that contribute to the accumulation of water in the region such as the soil, a no-till system, and rotating the cultivation of corn or sorghum, with an eye on the changing weather.

 

Thus, characterization of the climatic conditions - which involves analyzing the lot, taking into account the date of sowing and the year in particular, is fundamental to maximizing production - and it will depend on the application of management practices.

 

Technicians from INTA explained that in Chaco province the average yield of soybeans does not reach 2,000 kilograms (kg) per hectare, but could exceed 4,000kg per hectare if proper management practices were implemented.

 

“The availability of water is one of the major constraints in the region, so they focus on implementing systems that store as much water as possible depending on the crop requirement. Changes in the climate can cause drought at any time of the year, so another important practice is to diversify the planting date and adjust the choice of the variety."

 

The region comprising the province of Chaco, east of Santiago del Estero, and north of Santa Fe, is an area where sowing takes place mainly during the last week of December. 

 

Experts have suggested the need to expand the window from the first week of December to the first 10 days of January, combining the different cycles, to tackle the fewer problems that could arise from high temperatures and lack of water. 

 

They also analyzed the behavior of the different varieties of crops recommended for the region. In addition, they identified those crops that are better adapted to the climatic and soil conditions of the area and provide information for a producer or technical adviser to choose the appropriate cultivar.

 

They explained that the choice of cultivar to be introduced in a particular lot will have a strong impact on the yields achieved by the interaction between productive potential against environmental conditions and what determines, in most cases, the performance. 

 

They also mentioned the importance of weed control in systems. They believe they have limitations with regard to production, so any practice that contributes to an efficient management of resources will have a positive impact on the performance of soybeans.