How to sprout soybean sprouts in winter? Key points of soybean sprout production technology

Greenhouse vegetables are currently a key technical means for vegetable growers to seize the market and obtain more profit, but greenhouse technology is not applicable to all vegetables. Bean sprouts are the exception. The cultivation of bean sprouts has relatively low environmental requirements, and sprouts can be produced in any season.

Soybean sprout production technology

1. Production environment. The environment for large-scale bean sprout production should be kept moist and dark, with stable indoor airflow, which is conducive to producing high-quality bean sprouts.

2. Production equipment. Large-scale bean sprout production is a commercial, specialized operation, mostly assembly-line work with cyclic operation, so that beans are soaked and sprouted every day, and bean sprouts are also produced every day, continuously rotating production. The equipment used is mostly wooden barrels, whose specifications can be divided into 3 types: large, medium and small. Generally, a large wooden barrel is suitable for producing 60 kg of bean sprouts and should not be too large. The bottom of each specification of wooden barrel is movable and can be easily removed, which is convenient for cleaning, disinfection and turning over the bean sprouts. During production, as the bean sprouts elongate, wooden barrels of different specifications are used in turn, thereby increasing the utilization rate of the barrels. For example, on the first and second days of bean sprout production, they are first placed in small barrels for cultivation, on the third and fourth days they are transferred to medium barrels for cultivation, and only on the last fifth and sixth days are they placed in large wooden barrels for cultivation.

3. Selecting bean seeds. For large-scale bean sprout production, the work of selecting bean seeds should be done well, and fresh bean seeds free of insect-damaged and broken grains should be used.

4. Watering management. Strengthen watering management, with specially assigned personnel responsible for watering operations, thereby regulating and controlling the temperature of the bean sprouts, promoting their growth, and preventing and avoiding rotten sprouts. Before each watering, the coverings such as straw bags, hemp bags or multiple layers of gauze can be uncovered, and after watering they should be promptly covered tightly again. The watering frequency is generally once every 4 hours in summer and once every 6 hours in winter.

But note when watering the bean sprouts that each time the bean sprouts in every barrel must be watered thoroughly. Due to the large production volume, specialized personnel should be provided to carry out the watering work. At the same time, because the water consumption is relatively large, a well can be drilled indoors and well water used for watering. Because well water is warm in winter and cool in summer, it can be used directly for watering. If tap water is used, hot water should be mixed in during winter to keep the watering temperature at around 27°C. For ease of management, in winter a stove should be lit indoors, specifically for heating water, etc.

5. Disinfection and antisepsis.

① Disinfection of production tools. Pay attention to the cleanliness and disinfection of utensils; often put the wooden barrels used for production under sunlight to kill pathogens. After wooden barrels have been used for a relatively long time, they should be checked and repaired frequently, and the parts of the bottom that have deteriorated and rotted should be replaced promptly to prevent bacterial growth. At the same time, watering utensils and coverings, etc. must be kept clean, often disinfected by pouring boiling water over them, or disinfected with limewater, that is, use 1 water vat, in which limewater is often stored (this limewater is not skimmed of residue, letting the residue sink to the bottom of the vat), used for disinfection of various equipment and utensils; it is required to soak in the limewater for disinfection for more than 1 hour, then remove and rinse clean with clear water. Various tools for bean sprout production should be dedicated and not mixed with general cooking utensils.

② Disinfection of bean seeds. Soak the bean seeds in warm water for 4-6 hours, requiring the water surface to be 2 times higher than the bean surface, and stir several times in the early stage of soaking. After the seeds have swollen, remove them, then soak them in 3% limewater (requiring no ash residue) for 5 minutes, stirring continuously, then immediately remove them into warm water and rinse clean. Alternatively, they can be disinfected by stirring in 0.1% bleaching powder solution for 10 minutes, then immediately removed and rinsed clean with warm water.

③ Pay attention to the cleanliness of the water source and prevent contamination.

How to sprout soybean sprouts in winter

1. Wash the beans clean, soak the beans in warm water (in winter), and after three hours the beans are in a swollen state. After 8-10 hours the beans are completely swollen.

2. Drain the completely swollen beans, and cover with a piece of moist, clean cloth.

3. On the third day, sprouts appear 1-2 cm long; a little weight can be placed on the beans to make the sprouts grow longer. By the fourth day the sprouts are already very long.

4. On the fifth day, wash the bean sprouts with clear water, pick out the bean skins and the bad beans and hard beans that have not sprouted, and clean them thoroughly.

Precautions for sprouting bean sprouts

1. When the bean sprouts grow to 15 mm long, watering should be thorough with no dead corners, to prevent red roots and rotten roots.

2. Master the water temperature well, water at fixed times, and do not let the water alternate between cold and hot, to prevent the sprout roots from turning reddish-brown.

3. The watering temperature should not be too high, and the watering duration should not be too short, otherwise the bean sprouts will only grow roots and not stems.

4. When the sprouts are 50 mm long, the water temperature should be raised and heat increased to prevent the sprout roots from turning black.

5. When the bean sprouts are almost ready, the water temperature of the last three waterings should be lowered, and they should be taken out promptly after sprouting is complete, to prevent the bean sprouts from developing rot in the middle.

Nutritional value of soybean sprouts

1. Soybean sprouts contain relatively low calories, relatively high water and dietary fiber, and contain vitamin C generated during the sprouting process.

2. Soybean sprouts contain high-quality plant protein and vitamin E, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, calcium, potassium, phosphorus and iron and other rich minerals.

3. When soybeans sprout, part of the starch and protein stored inside the seeds is decomposed under the action of enzymes and converted into sugars and amino acids needed for their own growth, greatly improving the utilization rate of starch and protein in the beans.

In winter, to sprout soybean sprouts, it is only necessary to appropriately use warm water to promote the beans when soaking them. But for growers who specifically cultivate bean sprouts for profit, the cultivation technology and equipment, etc. require much consideration. In addition, during the sprouting process there are some precautions that everyone needs to pay attention to.