2020
Maximizing Soybean Yield through Maturity Group and Population Selection Based on Soybean Planting Date
Category:
Sustainable Production
Keywords:
Field management Nutrient managementSoil healthTillageYield trials
Lead Principal Investigator:
Rachel Vann, North Carolina State University
Co-Principal Investigators:
Project Code:
19-063
Contributing Organization (Checkoff):
Institution Funded:
Brief Project Summary:

A recent verbal survey of North Carolina soybean stakeholders indicated three core areas of interest for applied soybean research: using planting date to maximize soybean yield, appropriate maturity group selection based on planting date, and population adjustments across diverse planting dates. This project seeks to provide locally generated data on these priorities. Research efforts generate information on ideal planting date for soybeans and collect data to evaluate dates of insurance coverage for soybeans, identify the appropriate soybean maturity group to be used across a wide range of planting dates, determine what soybean population should be used across various planting date and soybean maturity group combinations and shares results.

Key Benefactors:
farmers, agronomists, extension agents

Information And Results
Project Deliverables

Final Project Results

Based on a recent analysis of 877 North Carolina Soybean Yield Contest entries, the strongest predictors of high soybean yield include the use of earlier than historically employed planting dates, earlier maturing varieties, and foliar fungicide use. This study seeks to provide North Carolina soybean producers with the foundational information needed to maximize soybean yield while protecting seed quality through manipulating soybean planting date and maturity group. This study also provides information on what seeding rate recommendations are merited as planting date and maturity group use changes. This research was employed at 8 North Carolina environments covering our diverse production regions in 2019 and 2020. In 2019, soybean yield was highest with late April to late May planting dates, whereas soybean yield was highest with early April planting dates in 2020. Yield was typically highest with MGIV and V varieties at planting dates prior to late May, while results indicate that growers have flexibility using MGIV-VII varieties at Mid-June and Mid-July planting dates. Seeding rate should increase as planting date in delayed, but there is not a strong relationship between maturity group and seeding rate at this point in the research. Typically captured flowering in the field was 0-10 d within that predicted using historical weather data in the SoyStage tool. Protein was typically higher and more stable across planting date with >MGV varieties. Soybean damage and purple seed stain were greatest with the earlier maturing varieties less than MGV planted before late April.

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.