- Published On:1/23/2012
- Author:Matt Schoper
- Categories:Agronomy, Admin
Thinking Soybeans in 2012
As we begin to plan for the upcoming crop year it is critical that we continue to search for ways to maximize every opportunity to increase your soybean yields. At Crystal Valley we spend a great deal of time evaluating different management strategies and products that help improve plant health or ensure that weed pressure is maintained, which was a highly discussed topic throughout the summer months. As you develop your plans with your Crystal Valley Agronomist please take time to discuss each of the following key strategies that will help ensure a successful 2012 soybean crop.
• Variety Selection – This is where it all starts and it is extremely critical to carefully select your variety of seed. It is important
that you have a strong understanding how each product can work in the soil types and conditions you have in each fi eld.
Also, with variety selection comes the trait selection and this past fall we saw excellent results with the key RR2 varieties.
Please ask your Agronomist about our replicated soybean trial results.
• Protecting the Seed – Crystal Valley prefers the use of CruiserMaxx as it provides you with protection against a broad
spectrum of both soil-dwelling and foliar-feeding insects, as well as all major seed and soil-borne disease pathogens. This
provides increased plant vigor, better stand establishment, speed to canopy, and higher yields at harvest. Last June, I had
several customers share personal testimonials of the differences of treated soybeans versus untreated soybeans in their fi elds.
There was a lot of replanting needed in the untreated soybean fi elds due to the reduced stands.
• Inoculants are important – Nitrogen fi xation is critical for high soybean yields. For nitrogen fi xation to occur, the nitrogenfi
xing bacteria must be established in the soil through seed inoculation. Soybeans can obtain 50% to 75% of its nitrogen
requirements from the air when nitrogen-fi xing bacteria have established functioning nodules on the roots. The highest
nitrogen demand in soybeans is from R5 to R8 and the fi xation begins at V2 to V3.
• Nutrient Availability – With the large yields that are being taken from the corn crop it is not always leaving enough P & K
available to soybeans the following season. The majority of soybeans will not show any nutrient defi ciencies, even though
this lack of evidence doesn’t mean that a problem doesn’t exist. Ensure that you are up to date on your soil testing program
and take advice from your Crystal Valley Agronomist. Some might suggest that a base application of P & K is needed to
reach maximum yields when a large yielding corn crop was harvested the prior fall.
• Getting in Front of Weeds – Putting a pre-emerge or pre-plant down on soybeans can be an effective measure to stay in front
of the weed pressure as it opens a larger window for post applications to occur. This practice has not been as common with
the arrival of glyphosate; however, it will become a key strategy in fighting weeds that have become difficult to control with
a glyphosate only program.
• Post Applications That Pack a Punch – Some of the more diffi cult to kill weeds, like waterhemp and giant ragweed, may
need another mode-of-action to go along with the glyphosate treatment. Reducing the rates of your glyphosate treatment
will likely diminish the effectiveness of the kill on your weeds, making them larger and more diffi cult to control. Weeds steal
yield potential, so developing a strategy is important for maximum yields to be reached.
• Request a Report Card – This past summer we started a tissue sampling program at Crystal Valley, which was very successful.
A tissue test by a Crystal Valley Agronomist will provide you with a report card on whether or not the macro & micro
nutrients levels are correct in the plant. If they are not, you still have time to adjust and be able to address issues in the fi eld
rather than lose yield.
• Have Healthy Plants – There are great benefi ts to using a fungicide, one of which is increased yields. This past year we
saw an average of 5 to 6 bushel/acre advantage. This additional yield comes from the control of foliar diseases. Outside of
disease control a fungicide application also impacts the plant physiology to produce greener plants, larger beans, fuller pods,
and improved pod retention.
• Keep Insects Away – Soybean aphids and bean leaf beetles are the two major insects that we fi nd taking away yield each year.
Insecticide monitoring will ensure that these insects are not expectantly lingering in your fields. Talk to your Agronomist
about the product we recommend to control your insect infestations next summer.
To continue to maximize your profitability per acre change will be needed in the future and these strategies are solutions that provide you with additional yield potential. All nine of the strategies can vary each year with new technology and practices that are being studied and developed. Your Crystal Valley Agronomist is available to discuss strategies for your farming operation.