EIP Project Database

Federal State

Hesse

Project Title

Cultivation of soybeans without land competition through mixed cultivation in wheat and fodder maize

Project description

According to current market studies, the potential area required in Hesse and neighbouring regions for the production of soybeans for feed and food purposes exceeds the current area under cultivation for soybeans. Most of the soy is imported from other countries. One argument against an expansion of regional soy cultivation is the high cultivation risk. Furthermore, a noticeable increase in the area under soybean cultivation would mean a corresponding reduction in the cultivation volume of other crops, which would ultimately lead to negative effects in other areas of production. The aim of the project is therefore to develop a cultivation system that increases the cultivation safety for soybeans and does not require any additional space while at the same time increasing biodiversity. It is expected that a sowing of soy in winter wheat ("on top"), which is cultivated in the cultivation method "wide row", has no negative effect on the wheat yield. Mixed cultivation of soybeans and maize for fodder production as whole plant silage also results in an increase in the protein content of the crop compared to pure maize cultivation.  

Final report

Download report (PDF file)

Results focusing on practiceorientation

It was shown that under the conditions in Hesse in the years 2018 to 2021, mixed cultivation of wheat and soya is not recommended in Hesse and that there is no suitability for expanding soya cultivation. An expansion of soybean cultivation for grain use would therefore continue to compete with other important and proven crops. No economically competitive yield was achieved with this mixed crop, so that no effective, environmentally friendly and/or ecological cultivation and use methods were developed and the productivity of crop production was not improved. Mixed cultivation of maize and soya has shown that the protein content of the basic feed (maize silage) can be increased without requiring additional land. In some cases, an increase in maize yield was even observed when soya was grown as a partner. Adapted mechanical cultivation techniques will be needed in the future.

Main funding source

Rural development 2014-2020 for Operational Groups (in the sense of Art 56 of Reg.1305/2013)

Project status

completed

Total budget applied for in EUR

285,176

Link 1

project website

Link 2

practice sheet

NUTS3 CODE

DE721 Gießen