Soybean tests show weather, yield variety

By Ag Update via TN Content Exchange

The University of Missouri soybean variety testing program experienced a range of conditions this year, including heavy rainfall early and dry weather during the summer, as well as some test plots recording good yields while others reflected poor growing conditions.

MU senior research specialist Mark Wieberg says initially planting got off to a quick start.

“We got started planting soybeans down in the Southeast right when we got finished planting corn,” he says.

However, soon heavy rains set in, leading to poor stands and other issues in many test plots, as well as planting delays. Wieberg says about half of the MU soybean test plots had to be replanted, and one site at Portageville, in southeast Missouri, had to be planted a third time after some hail damage.

“By the time it got planted for the third time, it was getting pretty late,” he says.

Despite these planting challenges, Wieberg says overall it looked early on like the variety testing would produce some very good yields.

“Early on, it looked like great yield potential,” he says. “Then the rain shut off — some areas more than others.”

The test plots got especially dry in the Southwest region, and the results showed that drought impact.

“They were about half the yield as the rest of the state,” Wieberg says.

Still, there were some bright spots. Wieberg says the test plots in the North region generally received some beneficial rains at the right time, and those test sites had the best overall yields this year.

“The Northwest and North Central, they caught some of the later rains,” he says. “You could really see it by the yields.”

Wieberg says while it is always fun to report outstanding yields, it can be beneficial to see how the soybean varieties fare in less-than-ideal conditions as well.

“I think there’s value in both of the extremes,” Wieberg says.

He says more information is better.

“You really need to not just look at one year,” Wieberg says. “It’s best to look at yield trends on different varieties over multiple years.”

The MU soybean variety testing program included several sites, grouped by regions, with test plots either on MU research farms or on local farmers’ land.

North

The North region had test sites at Albany, Canton, Mooresville, Novelty and Rock Port. The region included both Group 3 and Group 4 soybeans.

For the Group 3 soybeans in the region, Nutech 38N05E had the highest average yield with 80.8 bu./acre. The highest total recorded at any site in the region was Pioneer 38A28E with 101.5 bu./acre at Rock Port.

For the Group 4 soybeans in the region, Asgrow AG40XF1 had the highest average yield at 79.3 bu./acre. The highest total recorded at any site in the region was Nutech 43N06E with 96.8 bu./acre at Rock Port.

Central

The Central region had test sites at Columbia, Henrietta, Norborne, Truxton and Vandalia. The region included both Group 3 and Group 4 soybeans.

For the Group 3 soybeans in the region, FS HiSoy HS 37E40 had the highest average yield at 73.9 bu./acre, and the highest total recorded at any site with 91.6 bu./acre at Henrietta.

For the Group 4 soybeans in the region, FS HiSoy HS 41E40 had the highest average yield with 71.9 bu./acre. The highest total recorded at any site in the region was Nutech 49N05E with 90.0 bu./acre at Norborne.

Southwest

The Southwest region had test sites at Carthage, Garden City, Springfield and Urich. The region had Group 4 soybeans.

For the soybeans in the region, Xitavo XO 3855E had the highest average yield at 41.9 bu./acre, and the highest total recorded at any site in the region with 49.5 bu./acre at Springfield. This was tied with Xitavo XO 4255E, which also had 49.5 bu./acre at Springfield.

Southeast

The Southeast region had test sites at Campbell, Cape Girardeau, Dexter, Fisk and Portageville. The region had Group 4 soybeans.

For the soybeans in the region, FS HiSoy HS 46F40 had the highest average yield at 75.6 bu./acre. The highest total recorded at any site in the region was FS HiSoy HS 44F30 with 94.5 bu./acre at Dexter.