Dossier Soy
Soy is regularly used in animal feed in Flanders, and consumers are also increasingly looking for protein alternatives in the form of soy drinks and burgers. But the impact of soy imports on our environment is also a trending topic. If we could eliminate the need for importing soy, the environmental aspect would look completely different. That is why growing soy on Flemish soil is a noble, but not yet reachable goal.
What does ILVO do?
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In growth chambers, fundamental research is done regarding inoculation techniques and bacterial strains.
The soy plant
Soy is a subtropical, annual, leguminous plant. The beans of the plant are made up of almost 20% oil and a little less than 80% dry matter, of which about half are proteins. Worldwide, it is one of the most important crops, with South America and the USA as the largest producers. Soybean oil is the most consumed vegetable oil in the world, with soybean meal as a by-product that is used as concentrates in livestock farming.
Soy is a popular crop because the beans have a high protein content and a good protein composition. Of all the vegetable proteins, soy is one of the few that contains all the essential amino acids. In addition, soy is easily digestible and rich in vitamins and minerals.
European soy varieties usually grow up to one meter. The leaves have three leaflets and small purple or white self-pollinating flowers develop in the axils of the leaves. After flowering, pods form with one to four light yellow beans with a yellow, brown, or black hilum or ‘eye’. The leaves fall off before the pods are ripe.
Growth of a soy plant
Is soy import still responsible?
A high demand for protein-rich crops has been causing sharp price increases and market speculation for years. In addition, soy imports raise social and ecological questions. Large-scale deforestation is taking place to meet the growing demand for soy. Deforestation causes a loss of biodiversity, erosion problems, climate change, and social problems for the population, leading to increasing resistance to these practices.
Consumers are also attaching greater importance to closing the loop and, especially in Europe, are increasingly demanding GMO-free soy, which is hardly grown in soy-exporting countries. It is therefore not surprising that there is an ever-increasing demand for locally produced sustainable raw materials. Soy cultivation in Flanders can meet these needs.
Soybean research at ILVO
Because of the dependence on imported protein-rich fodder, various initiatives have already been launched. Research has shown that local fodder crops cannot match the nutritional value of soy. That is why trials have been set up in several Western European countries to grow soy in our temperate regions. The first results are already promising and inviting: no disease pressure, proper protein and fat production, and acceptable maturation. Provided that there is sufficient breeding power, with a specific selection for northwest Europe, there is a real chance that it may be possible to grow your own soy with financially worthwhile yields within a few years.
Variety trials
ILVO conducts comparative trials on behalf of the Flemish Government with all varieties of fodder crops and green manure crops on the Belgian national variety list, including soybeans. The results of these trials are published annually in a descriptive and recommendatory variety list. This list provides an overview of the agricultural evaluation of all soybean varieties on the Belgian national variety list. Because the variety comparisons are based on objective trial field data, farmers can use this information to make a more informed choice of variety.
More information can be found on the official Variety List website:
https://rassenlijst.ilvo.vlaan...
Research projects
ILVO is actively engaged in research into soybean cultivation in Flanders. Many projects have already been successfully completed and a series of new projects have been launched. Be sure to take a look at the ILVO website for a complete overview of all soybean research.
