How to increase soybean protein content

Balanced crop nutrition is important for to help increase protein content. Deficiency of any nutrient will limit crop performance but in the case of soybeans potassium and phosphate are particularly important.

Potassium is required for protein synthesis in plants. Its deficiency causes lower protein synthesis and nitrogenous compounds accumulation as soluble amino acids, amides and nitrate. Research indicates that, in addition to activating the nitrate reductase, the potassium is also important for this enzyme synthesis.

Various reactions involved in the use of energy, starch synthesis, nitrogen metabolism and breathing need enzymes. Potassium is the only monovalent cation available in nature in sufficient amount, and with appropriate chemical properties to meet the requirement of the majority of enzyme activations by monovalent cations.

Phosphorus is important in order to obtain a quality crop as can be seen from these experiments in Pakistan. It enhances the photosynthesis rate, energy transfer, enzymatic activity, developent of roots, movement and uptake of other nutrients, production of nodes and hence the nitrogen fixation, growth and maturation, number of seeds and their size and seed germination. Together with Potassium it can decrease damage from several plant diseases.

In addition, scientific studies show that the seeds with molybdenum and cobalt have resulted in an increase in its average content of soybean grains. Higher Mn rates also increase the seeds protein level.