The Double-Crop Conference, hosted by the Illinois Wheat Association and the Illinois Soybean Association, was held on January 31st, 2019, in Mount Vernon, Illinois, and had close to one hundred producers and crop advisers in attendance. The seven speakers provided information on wheat and soybean marketing and production, with the goal of increasing profitability for both crops during the 2019 growing season. Dr. Todd Hubbs, Agricultural Economist at the University of Illinois, kicked off the meeting by providing producers with information about the market outlook for oilseeds. Dr. Gary Schnitkey, another Agricultural Economist at the University of Illinois, shared [...]

Double-cropping soybeans after wheat or other crops is a popular rotation that is more profitable than a single crop like corn. This rotation is practiced from Texas to the East Coast and as far north as Michigan and Ontario. In Illinois it’s primarily practiced in the southern third of the state. There are opportunities to improve the profitability and quality of wheat and yield and profitability of soybeans in the rotation by adopting the latest best management practices. In addition, research is showing that this rotation can move farther north in the state by adoption of the early wheat [...]

Double-cropping soybeans after wheat lets a grower harvest three crops in two years. Recently, there has been a lot of interest in planting ultra-early wheats and harvesting at high moisture. This practice can enable growers to plant soybeans 5 to 10 days sooner and gain an addition bushel per acre per day in soybean yield. However, what is the right soybean maturity group (MG) to plant when double-cropped after wheat, barley or another crop? The general practice and rule of thumb has been to plant the same MG for double-crop soybeans as for full season soybeans. But is that [...]

In an issue of the Cool Bean Advisor newsletter, University of Wisconsin wheat and soybean specialist Shawn Conley shared his top winter wheat establishment recommendations. They include: Variety selection matters. Plant new seed (DO NOT plant saved seed). A fungicide seed treatment is recommended for winter wheat, especially for seed damaged by Fusarium head blight (FHB). Wheat should be planted 1 to 1.5 inches deep. The target seeding rate for wheat planted from September 15th to October 1st is 1,300,000 to 1,750,000 seeds per acre. The optimal seeding rate for wheat planted after October 1st should be incrementally increased [...]

If you took  Kelly Robertson’s advice from last month’s blog, you’re on your way to a successful double-crop season. The main drawback is having to deal with Mother Nature. Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve had excessive rainfall in many areas which slowed wheat harvest and planting of double-crops. Then the heat rolled in, knocking the test weight out of the wheat and producing a bunch of small grains that passed right through the combine. Then on June 28th we had a large storm push through from the north that brought heavy rains and high wind, which flattened [...]

Double-cropping soybeans can be a success with the right plan in mind. There are several things growers need to do to set themselves up for success when planting double-crop soybeans after wheat. First, ensure you get a good, even distribution of harvested materials as you cut wheat. Make sure to have a properly adjusted combine to manage the residue not only in the machine, but that it can evenly distribute that residue behind the machine. Good, even distribution of residue will help to ensure good seed to soil contact and good even emergence of soybeans Next, do a good [...]

If you double-crop soybeans after wheat, and want to your soybean crop to yield respectably, you must manage the previous wheat crop and the following soybean crop. Over a decade ago I interviewed some growers in southern Illinois who double-cropped soybeans mostly after wheat. One of the things I determined was that the growers focused primarily on growing wheat and maximizing its yield and soybeans were left to fend for themselves. The approach to double-crop soybeans is changing, though, as agronomists and growers realize that these soybeans can yield well with a focus on management, much like for full [...]

A series of articles focused on managing the double-crop rotation are coming this season. In southern Illinois, along I-64 and I-70, double-cropping soybeans after wheat is a common rotation, as the combination of the two crops harvested in one year often produces more net revenue than corn, soybeans or wheat alone. A successful double-crop rotation with both crops producing high yields requires above average management. And for soybeans, growers need to invest in their crop, not just plant the cheapest soybean seed they can buy and then keep weeds at bay. Management does pay. The Illinois Soybean Association has [...]

Successful double crop soybean programs start with selecting the right wheat genetics. Double cropping soybeans after wheat is a common rotation in Southern Illinois. Growers have the opportunity to maximize yield on both crops by paying attention to variety characteristics, planting date and endeavoring to plant both crops earlier. Maturity matters: The ideal double crop wheat / soybean rotation starts with a high yielding, early maturing wheat variety. This allows double crop soybeans to hit the sweet spot planting period for increased soybean yield potential. Both Limagrain Cereal Seeds (LCS) and other wheat seed companies have breeding programs developing [...]