NemaStrike to Strike Down SCN
Monsanto introduces a tool to help control soybean cyst nematode (SCN). SCN remains one of the greatest pest threats to soybeans in Illinois and elsewhere. While weather remains a major factor in final yield, disease and insects silently rob yield and SCN ranks at the top. Growers need all the tools available to keep this pest at bay. And it not only works against SCN, but a host of other nematodes that impact corn as well. On May 1, 2017, a new seed treatment nematicide product (trade name NemaStrike™) was approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). State registrations [...]
Agronomy: Summarizing the Soybean Season from Northwest Illinois
Weather and weed challenges were the two main issues in 2016; however, yields will still be above average. After record warm and wet periods over winter we moved into a very dry early spring with some areas being more than 10 inches behind normal rainfall by late June. Soybean planting generally went well and early planted soybeans looked best all spring. Weed control challenges began to appear early with escapes of waterhemp, giant ragweed, velvetleaf and even volunteer corn being very common. Weed control failures were driven by a host of issues including inadequate soil residual programs, lack of [...]
Agronomy: Is it Possible to Estimate Soybean Yields?
Many people do yield checks of corn and feel they can get relatively close (+/- 10 percent) to the actual yield. On the other hand, yield checks of soybeans seem to be much more difficult and getting within +/- 25 percent is doing fairly well. In my experience, most people over estimate the yield of soybeans. Generally, this is because they overestimate one or more of the yield factors—plant population, pod count, seed count or seed size. When you overestimate more than one component it can really magnify (increase) the theoretical yield. The math required to estimate soybean yields is [...]
Agronomy: Taking the Six Secrets to Your Own Field
Dr. Fred Below at the University of Illinois been conducting his Six Secrets of Soybean Success research project at sites across Illinois for the past four years. Now entering its fifth season, his research has focused on an omission strategy approach where he stacked a number of technologies together and then eliminated them one at a time to see which technologies had the most impact. Below’s work examined six factors with the greatest impact on yield: weather, fertility, genetics, foliar protection, seed treatment and row arrangement. At this summer’s ILSoyAdvisor field days Monsanto technical staff will be presenting the results [...]
Agronomy: Planting on Pace to Set an ‘Early’ Record
Planting started very early in our area, and with the dry spring we’ve experienced planting has progressed at a near record pace. I have personally talked to more than one soybean grower who told me this is the first year they have ever planted soybeans in April. The dry spring gave us the opportunity in Northwestern Illinois to plant soybeans early. I’m glad more soybean producers are realizing waiting till May to start planting soybeans is not necessary and can reduce your yield potential. There are always exceptions and limits and anything can be taken too far but, generally speaking, [...]
Agronomy: Seedbed Stories – When to Plant
In recent years our idea of “optimal” soybean planting dates in Illinois has shifted earlier. Researchers and farmers pushing the envelope looking for higher soybean yields have observed early planted soybeans have more yield potential. Greater yield potential comes as a result of more main stem nodes and a more fully developed canopy capable of capturing more sunlight in June and early July. So, you may be asking… What is early? How early is too early? What are the risks vs. rewards of early planting? Can I afford to be equipped to plant corn and soybeans at the same time? [...]
Agronomy: Growing Continuous Beans: Variety Selection
Want to plant back to soybeans after the last soybean crop? Start with selecting the right variety. With everyone looking for ways to trim costs going into 2016 there have been more questions about planting soybeans two years in a row. Economic studies show that even in times of low commodity prices yield is still the primary driver of profitability. Cutting costs at the expense of yield will not always improve profitability. That being said, input costs for soybeans are significantly less than for corn. Many producers in central Illinois will argue that corn is more profitable, but there [...]
Agronomy: How to Check when Soybeans are Mature
Soybean maturity and “ready to harvest” are generally not the same thing. Physiologically speaking, soybeans are mature when seed dry matter accumulation is complete. But knowing when this happen is not as clear cut as corn, which forms a distinct black layer. Maturity generally occurs when soybean pods have reached their mature gray, tan or brown color. At this point soybean yield is not negatively impacted by drought, frost or a herbicide application that desiccates the plant. It should also be noted that not every pod on a soybean plant matures at the same time. You can have mature [...]
Late season herbicide applications
Under any sort of normal conditions we would have been done spraying herbicides long before July 10. But delayed planting, replanting and a limited number of days available for spraying have resulted in many applications being made much later in the season. If you have soybean fields yet to be sprayed there are many things you should be aware of. The maximum labeled rate of glyphosate in a single application is 1.5lb/acre (44 to 64 ounces/acre depending on the formulation you use). Applying more than this in a single application is not only off label, it may damage your [...]
Tall Weeds are Challenging
Options for controlling large weeds in soybeans … Heavy and frequent rainfall throughout the month of June has made timely postemergence weed control in soybeans very difficult, if not impossible. Some producers have even resorted to aerial herbicide applications. To improve weed control and help manage resistant weeds the use of residual products and tank mixtures has become more common and needs to become routine. This year a good PRE put down ahead of planting was a life saver. Not only did a good PRE greatly reduce your weed pressure, it bought you more time to make your in-crop [...]
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