Cultivation Practices for Key Crops: From Sowing to Harvest

Soybean

Requires warm areas and medium-textured soils.

Neutral pH preferred; drought-tolerant.

Sowing from August 20th to August 30th.

Seeding rate: 2.5–4 kg/ha, spacing: 12.5 cm.

Nutrition and Fertilization

Nitrogen (N) requirements vary, with 0–30 kg N/ha. 9 Phosphorus (P), 30 Potassium (K).

Herbicides applied pre-emergence; insecticides for pest thresholds.

Harvest

Chemical desiccation harvest, 10 days after, at 12-16% moisture.

Dry seeds to 8% for storage.

Oilseed Rape

Typical rotation: Winter wheat, oilseed rape, spring barley.

Avoid planting oilseed rape within 4 years on the same field.

Medium-textured soils with good aeration.

Frost-resistant; requires adequate nutrient supply. Needs vernalization.

Early sowing by late August.

Plant density: 30-60 plants per m².

High N demands, typically 40 kg N/ha in autumn. 55N, 12P, 57K.

Phosphorus and potassium before tillage.

Herbicides pre-emergence; fungicides for Phoma and Sclerotinia.

• Harvest at moisture levels of 12%; typical in mid-July.

Sunflower

Rotation includes cereals or N-fertilized root crops. Keep 5-7 year gap between sunflowers.

Warm areas; tolerates drought and prefers deep soils (pH 6-7.2).

Avoid sloping fields due to erosion risk. Like corn.

Density sowing: 4.5-6 kg/ha.

Depth: 3-5 cm; early sowing starts mid-April.

Avoiding excess N to prevent yield reduction.

40-60 kg N/ha, 140 kg K/ha, 50 kg P/ha.

Chemical desiccation may be used; harvest after 10 days at 15% moisture.

Dry seeds to 8% post-harvest.

Poppy

Benefits from cereals and legumes as pre-crops. Rotation includes winter wheat and spring barley.

Medium-textured soils preferred; frost-resistant to -5°C. Neutral pH.

Vulnerable to erosion on sloping fields.

Sowing: Small seeds (1.5 kg/ha) at 0.5–1 cm depth. Early sowing by March 15th after barley.

Needs balanced fertilization: 60 kg N, 11 kg P, and 61 kg K per ton of yield.

Pre-crop herbicide use is important; fungicides for seed-related issues.

Pests like aphids and weevils controlled based on thresholds.

Harvest in August; seeds dried to 8% moisture.

Potato

Keep a 4–5 year gap to prevent pathogen buildup.

Typical rotation: Winter wheat, oilseed rape, potato, spring barley.

Demands medium-to-light porous soils, free of stones. Optimal pH: 5.5–6.5.

Early varieties thrive in lowlands (200–300 m above sea level) with irrigation.

Late varieties suited for highlands (400–600 m above sea level) for storage or processing.

Sowing:

Early planting: March 15th to April 14th.

Density: 55,000 plants/ha for early varieties, 40,000 plants/ha for late varieties.

Nutrient requirements per 10 t yield: 40–50 kg N, 9 kg P, 70 kg K, 22 kg Calcium (Ca), 8 kg Magnesium (Mg).

Avoid excessive herbicides. Herbicides not used for very early potatoes.

Pre-emergent herbicides applied; mechanical ridging performed before full vegetation cover. Major pests: Colorado beetles and aphids (linked to virus spread).

Early potatoes harvested starting May 25th; table potatoes from June/July; late potatoes for storage from August/September.

Post-harvest treatment: Drying at 15–18°C for 10–14 days, storage at 4–6°C for table potatoes.

Sugar Beet

Best pre-crops: Cereals combined with organic fertilizers.

Oilseed rape is less favorable in rotation due to its long soil persistence.

Requires medium-to-heavy soils with good structure and drainage.

Mid-March to late April; soil temperature should be at least 5°C.

Precision sowing: 110,000 plants/ha.

Planting depth: 2.5–3.5 cm.

Before plowing: Phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) in autumn.

Before sowing: Nitrogen (N) at 60–100 kg/ha depending on soil conditions.

Recommendations per ton of yield: 4–5 kg N, 0.7–0.9 kg P, 5–8 kg K, 0.7–1.4 kg Ca, and 0.6–1.2 kg Mg.

Post-harvest: ensuring minimal damage to roots, and maintaining a sugar content of 17–19%.