CORN Newsletter: 2004-12, May 3, 2004

Crop Recommendation and Observation Network by the Agronomic Crops Team


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C.O.R.N Newsletter 2004-12
May 3, 2004 - May 11, 2004

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Management That Increases Soybean Yield
by Jim Beuerlein


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Higher soybean prices have prompted many producers to ask what they can do to increase yield. Although the answers to this question are more important when prices are low, they can generate even more profits when prices are high. The two biggest profit makers are planting date and row spacing. Yield potential starts to decrease in early May most years and by late May is just over a half bushel per acre per day. A five day delay in planting the last week of May will reduce income by $30.00 per acre if soybean is worth $10.00 per bushel. Switching to narrow rows will also increase yield and profit. On light colored soil, the row spacing should be as narrow as possible regardless of planting date. On dark colored soil, row spacings should no wider than 15 inches in May and as narrow as possible for June plantings. Yield increases about one-third bushel per acre as the row spacing is decreased from 30 inches to 7 inches.

If you are already planting early in narrow rows there are two other very profitable practices, fungicide seed treatments and inoculation, that can greatly increase profits. Fungicide seed treatments will ward off infection of the root rot diseases for two to three weeks allowing plants to get a head start on diseases and be better able to ward off the yield loss caused by disease. In 2003 we got yield increases of up to 7.0 bushels per acre due to fungicide seed treatments. The average yield increase for eight different seed treatments averaged over five test sites was 1.6 bushels per acre. Those test sites were selected because they had a very low potential for disease. Over time, the use of fungicide seed treatments in Ohio will increase yield three to eight bushels per acre depending on soil drainage, crop rotation, variety selection, etc. This year, seed treatment could increase profit from $30 to $80 per acre if the price of soybeans stays at $10.00 per bushel.

We have conducted sixty inoculation trials in producer fields that were selected because they had a very low potential for a yield increase due to inoculation. The average yield increase from those 60 trials was 1.9 bushels per acre. Most producers can expect yield increases of three to eight bushels per acre depending on soil characteristics and yield potential. In about a fourth of our trials there was no yield increase due either dry soil or waterlogged soil for several days after planting. Over time however, our $3.00 investment in inoculation material has produced yield worth about $11.00 per acre. With beans worth $10 per bushel, that $3.00 investment would return us about $20.00 worth of yield. Because most producers will get higher yields due to inoculation than we have experienced and because grain prices are high, $3.00 worth of inoculation has the potential to increase profits by $20 - $40 per acre for most producers and up to $80 per acre in some fields if the price of beans is around $10.00 per bushel.

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C.O.R.N. is a summary of crop observations, related information, and appropriate recommendations for Ohio Crop Producers and Industry. C.O.R.N. is produced by the Ohio State University Extension Agronomy Team, State Specialists at The Ohio State University and Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. C.O.R.N. Questions are directed to State Specialists, Extension Associates, and Agents associated with Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center at The Ohio State University.

Information presented above and where trade names are used, they are supplied with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by Ohio State University Extension is implied. Although every attempt is made to produce information that is complete, timely, and accurate, the pesticide user bears responsibility of consulting the pesticide label and adhering to those directions.

All educational programs conducted by Ohio State University Extension are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, gender, age, disability or Vietnam-era veteran status.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Keith L. Smith, Director, Ohio State University Extension.

TDD # 1 (800) 589-8292 (Ohio only) or (614) 292-1868


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