Anticipated results from this trial will identify the effects of cultivar maturity and seeding date on soybean yield and other traits for the northern border counties of northeast North Dakota. Yield and crop value expectations based on this study will provide producers, insurance agents and the RMA with important information on late planting seasons or replant situations that could include soybeans or cropping alternatives if allowed.
Weather (hail, drought, excessive moisture) is the only anticipated barrier, which could prevent the study objectives from being achieved.
Published results and presentations will include the Langdon annual research report, Langdon Research Extension Center website, extension events and field days. In addition, data will made available to state and regional extension agronomists.

Update:
See File 1 below

View uploaded report

Research Conducted
The objective of this study was to provide research-based data to assist farmers in determining the relationship between soybean seeding date and maturity groups (MG) for the NE region of the state. Research was conducted at Langdon with five seeding dates and three MG at each seeding date. Seeding dates were in approximate 10-day intervals, of May 14, 23 and June 3, 13, and 24. Maturity groups consisted of 00.5, 00.9 and 0.1 Roundup Ready cultivars. The target plant population was 180,000 plants per acre seeded in 6-inch rows.

Why the research is important to ND soybean farmers
Northeast North Dakota has seen a dramatic increase in soybean acreage in recent years especially counties along the Canadian border where the state’s coolest temperatures and shortest growing seasons occur. Choosing the right combination of seeding date and cultivar maturity group (MG) is an important decision producers make in obtaining optimum soybean production.

Final findings of the research
A snowstorm from October 10-12 dropped 19.5 inches of snow and covered the last three unharvested seeding dates. The June 13 and 24 seeding date failed to reach physiological maturity prior to the first killing frost on October 10. The June 3 seeding date was harvested after the snow melted but results were unreliable. The first two seeding dates were harvested on October 9. The May 23 seeding date had emergence issues with plant populations 52% of the average of the other seeding dates. The May 23 yield was reduced 5.4 bu/a when averaged over cultivars compared to the May 14 seeding date, the greatest yield reduction was observed for the MG 00.5 cultivar. Agronomic trait data trends indicated the number of days to mature decreased with later seeding dates while later MG took more days to mature. Plant and pod height were greater for the later maturing cultivars but were not affected by seeding date. An inverse relationship was observed with grain protein increasing with delayed seeding dates and percent
oil decreasing.

Benefits/Recommendations to ND soybean farmers and industry
Unfortunately, this year’s results were incomplete and/or unreliable due to the snowstorm from October 10-12. A general recommendation from this year’s limited results would be seeding from mid to late May increases the chances of a successful harvest in the fall in NE ND. Results from the 2018 study were good and we will be conducting this trial again in 2020.