2019
Soybean-Based Rotations for Virginia
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Contributor/Checkoff:
Virginia Soybean Board
Category:
Sustainable Production
Keywords:
Field management Nutrient managementSoil healthTillageYield trials
Parent Project:
This is the first year of this project.
Lead Principal Investigator:
David Holshouser, Virginia Tech
Co-Principal Investigators:
Project Code:
798
Contributing Organization (Checkoff):
Virginia Soybean Board
$10,000
Institution Funded:
Virginia Tech
$10,000
Brief Project Summary:

The main rotational crop for soybeans is corn, and soybeans are frequently double cropped after small grains. Cover crops are often integrated into rotations. Cover crops and double-cropping improves soil quality by adding more crop residue to soil than mono-cropping system and by encouraging continuous no-till. It also minimizes off-site impacts due to leaching or runoff of sediment and fertilizers. It is important that rotational systems for soybean are compared for yield, profitability and environmental value over time. The goal of this project is to establish and maintain a long-term soybean rotation experiment that compares crop yields, profitability and environmental impacts.

Key Benefactors:
farmers, agronomists, extension agents

Information And Results
Project Deliverables

Experiments will be completed and results reported to the VSB. Knowledge gained from these activities will be summarized, published as Extension articles and in the appropriate research journals, and shared with the soybean community by various mechanisms.

Estimated Worth Over the past 5 years, Virginia has averaged 39.6 bushels/acre on 608,000 acres with an average annual value of over $220 million. Assuming just a 1% gain in net profit from this program’s efforts, nearly $2.2 million could be added annually to the value of Virginia’s soybean crop.

An overarching goal is to develop sustainable cropping systems that are productive, profitable, improve soil and environmental quality. The aim of this project is to establish and maintain a long-term soybean rotation experiment that compares crop yields, profitability, and environmental impacts at the Tidewater AREC.

Final Project Results

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.