2020
Evaluation of Growth-Promoting Products for Soybean Production in Maryland
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Contributor/Checkoff:
Maryland Soybean Board
Category:
Sustainable Production
Keywords:
Crop protectionDiseaseField management
Parent Project:
Evaluation of Growth-Promoting Products for Soybean Production in Maryland
Lead Principal Investigator:
Andrew Kness, University of Maryland
Co-Principal Investigators:
Project Code:
Contributing Organization (Checkoff):
Maryland Soybean Board
$6,000
Leveraged Funding (Non-Checkoff):
In kind donations from Verdesian Life Sciences
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Institution Funded:
University of Maryland
$6,000
Brief Project Summary:

Many growth-promotion products tout benefits for soybean production. Proprietary combinations of fertilizers, carbon, sugars, growth regulators and other ingredients crowd the input market, as companies continue to release new products. However, limited third-party research exists to assess fit for these products in specific production systems. This research conducts trials comparing soybeans treated with several locally available growth-promoters, monitoring emergence, vegetative growth and canopy height during the season, and yield at harvest.

Key Benefactors:
farmers, agronomists, Extension agents

Information And Results
Project Deliverables

Data on the efficacy of tested growth-promoting products for soybean production in Maryland. Findings to be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented to growers at the conclusion of the multi-year study.

Final Project Results

Update:

View uploaded report 2 PDF file

CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS, AND FUTURE WORK

Emergence

Take Off ST treated seed significantly improved soybean emergence over the non-treated control, Carbon, and Seed+ treatments at WMREC but not WYE; we observed this same trend in 2019. Soil type and planting time could be influencing this trend in the data, as in 2020 and 2019, WMREC trials were planted first and into cooler soils. These data indicate a possible benefit to Take Off ST when soybeans are planted into similar soil types and/or early in the season when soils are cooler. Future research will be focused on Take Off ST as a function of planting date to determine if this seed treatment is a viable option for improving soybean stands at earlier planting dates.

As part of this project in 2020, we intended to conduct controlled growth chamber studies with Take Off ST and Seed+ treated seed as various temperatures against a non-treated control to determine if there are any germination differences at different temperatures. Due to COVID-19 precautions, we were not able to conduct this experiment this summer. The growth chamber experiments will resume once COVID telework restrictions are lifted.

NDVI and Canopy Height

NDVI and canopy height ratings indicate no difference between treatments and suggest that these products do no influence these plant characteristics.

Grain Yield

Yields were above average at WYE and below average at WMREC due to summer precipitation. WYE saw record rainfall in August, which made for prolific flower and pod production while WMREC received just over an inch rain for August, causing flower drop and pod abortion.

For a second year in a row, we did not observe any statistical differences in grain yield between treatments. Interestingly, even though Take Off ST improved emergence at the WMREC location, it did not translate into an improvement in yield. This is likely due to the fact that soybeans can compensate for reduced stands by branching, setting more pods, and making more seeds per pod and larger seeds.

None the treatments affected grain moisture or test weight.

Future research will be focused on understanding the effect Take Off ST on soybeans planted at different planting dates in comparison to a non-treated control.

The United Soybean Research Retention policy will display final reports with the project once completed but working files will be purged after three years. And financial information after seven years. All pertinent information is in the final report or if you want more information, please contact the project lead at your state soybean organization or principal investigator listed on the project.