2018
Soybean seeding rate, nutrient input, and management intensity interaction studies - year 2
Contributor/Checkoff:
Category:
Sustainable Production
Keywords:
Field management Nutrient managementSoil healthTillageYield trials
Lead Principal Investigator:
Kurt Steinke, Michigan State University
Co-Principal Investigators:
Project Code:
18-08
Contributing Organization (Checkoff):
Institution Funded:
Brief Project Summary:

Research has shown that soybean has a strong plasticity response to compensate for low plant populations by increasing leaf area per plant allowing individual plants to produce more branches and pods. Biomass production stimulates nutrient uptake and accumulation and may help explain why many nutrient response studies fail to demonstrate statistically significant responses as the population factor may override individual plant response. Due to the forecasted stagnation in agricultural commodity prices, lower seeding rates may allow for decreased input costs without sacrificing revenue due to the similar grain yield produced and aid in identifying opportunities where soybean may positively...

Unique Keywords:
#crop management systems
Information And Results
Project Deliverables

Final Project Results

Implications for producers in MI: in the process of analyzing all final partitioning data for nutrient concentrations; row closure; environmental risk; dry down - stay green potential; branching low to ground.
Take home points: decreased seeding rates had no effect on total dry matter accum. and did not increase grain yield response to nutrient application (under dry conditions); response to nutrient applications - MESZ application (greater response at 123,500 vs 420,100 seeds ha and may not translate into grain yield depending on moisture; no effect of K2O on DM accum. or grain yield; early-season TDM ha increased with increased seeding rates and subsurface MESZ applications; promotes early-season development to capitalize on mid-season climatic variability. Economic return not significantly affected by changing seeding rates. Yield maximized at higher seeding rates but often sacrifice money for great yields.

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.