As a farmer, you are the coach of your soybean crop, and you have one chance each year to win the gold. Understanding what is happening in the growth and development of the crop at these stages can help us manage our crop according to its needs and get it to the finish line.
Too much or too little water can limit soybean yield. Cover crops can be used to change soil moisture dynamics and optimize soil water availability for the soybean crop.
Soybean yield is determined by how many seeds the plant produces and how large those seeds are. These components form during two overlapping reproductive periods of R3 to R6 and R5 to R7. The plant’s ability to maximize photosynthesis and growth during these periods will determine how many pods and seeds are retained, and how big the seeds will be.
Being able to interpret complex data when you are bombarded with ads and opinions is necessary for drawing conclusions that ultimately lead to profitable management decisions.
Selecting the right soybean variety is a critical and complex decision. This resource outlines different decision factors you should consider when choosing soybean varieties.
Yield maps made using yield monitor data are very good at visually displaying relative yield differences in a field, but extra care must be taken if you want to use yield monitor data to estimate field average yields.
Take Home Points Timely planting of soybean is critical to achieve high soybean yields. In many instances this means as early as field conditions allow
Improved crop management practices and genetics coupled with a changing environment have led some farmers to shift their soybean planting dates earlier than the traditionally recommended planting dates