SCIENTIFIC FOUNDATIONS OF SOYBEAN CULTIVATION ON IRRIGATED SOILS OF THE NAKHCHIVAN AUTONOMOUS REPUBLIC
The development of animal husbandry in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, the satisfaction of the population demand for the most important food products - milk, meat, eggs, largely depends on the supply of farm animals with high-value protein feed. In solving this problem, an important role belongs to legumes and, above all, soybeans. Soybean seeds contain up to 40% of protein with essential amino acids. This makes soybeans one of the most desirable feed ingredients for all farm animal species. The main research objective was to evaluate the influence of abiotic factors on the morphological and biological characteristics of the growth, development and formation of soybean yield under irrigation conditions. Soybean collections which included 31 varieties were studied from 2018 through 2020. Over the years of research, the sowing dates, sowing rates, growth stages, quality indices, yield capacity and other components of the soybean plant yield were studied. The evaluation of the varieties for protein content was carried out in the Laboratory of Cereals, Legumes and Industrial Crops of the Institute of Bio-Resources. Certain high protein varieties were identified.