Eastern North Carolina has seen an expansion in acres devoted to production using maturity group 3 and 4 varieties. While these varieties are vulnerable to quality damage when harvest is delayed due to weather, they have yielded very well, causing more growers to look at earlier planting dates using earlier varieties. The reduction in wheat acres, leading to fewer double-cropped soybean acres, has also contributed to the interest in planting earlier and earlier maturing soybeans. This project intends to quantify yield response of early planted MG 3 and 4 soybeans to starter fertilizers, seed treatments, foliar-applied fertilizers and fungicides.

Key Benefactors:
farmers, agronomists, extension agents