Height:
8 to 80 inches (20 cm to 2 m)
Yield per acre:
53 bushels per acre (3564 kg per hectare)
on average
on average
Pollination:
Most varieties are self-pollinating; some require insects like bees for pollination
Roots:
Taproot system with a short primary root of 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) and lateral roots going 5-6.5 feet (1.5-2 m) deep.
Irrigation needs:
20-26 inches (51-66 cm)
Geography:
Grows best in China, India, the US, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Ukraine (Europe's largest soybean producer).
Climate:
Temperate climate with moderate temperatures and well-distributed rainfall.
Season
May-July
Growth cycle duration
70-250 days
Soil
Well-drained loam or sandy loam soils.
pH
6.0-7.0
Growth temperature
72°F (22°C) to 86°F (30°C)
Storage temperature
35°F (1.6°C) to 60°F (4.4°C)
Common types
- Yellow soybeans: The biggest and the most widely grown group; commonly used for soybean oil and processed products like tofu, soymilk, and miso.
- Green soybeans (edamame): Early-harvested beans commonly used as snacks and for soy flour production.
- Black soybeans: Typically used for making simmered soybeans, sauces, dips, soups, and fermented foods.
- Red and brown soybeans: Less common, usually used for traditional Asian dishes and specific fermented products.
- Clear hilum soybeans: The varieties with less pigmented or transparent hilum (a mark where the seed was attached to the pod). While the color of the seeds can vary, the main advantage is the light hilum that doesn’t leave dark spots during the production process, which makes these beans preferred for the production of light-colored foods like soy milk or tofu.
