By Blake Jackson
Missouri's soybean variety testing program faced a mix of weather conditions this year, including heavy rainfall early on and dry weather during the summer. These fluctuations led to some challenges in planting and crop growth. Initial planting started quickly in the Southeast, but heavy rains caused poor stands in many test plots, with some sites requiring replanting multiple times. Despite these setbacks, early signs indicated strong yield potential.
In the Southwest, drought conditions affected yields significantly, with test plots producing about half the yield compared to other regions. However, in the North and Northwest regions, timely rains boosted yields, with the best results seen in these areas. While some regions faced adversity, others showcased how soybeans can thrive with the right conditions.
For the North region, which included test sites at Albany, Canton, and Rock Port, the highest yields were seen with Nutech 38N05E soybeans, reaching 80.8 bushels per acre. The highest total yield at any site in the region was 101.5 bushels per acre with Pioneer 38A28E at Rock Port. In the Central region, FS HiSoy HS 37E40 achieved the highest average yield for Group 3 soybeans at 73.9 bushels per acre, with a peak of 91.6 bushels per acre at Henrietta.
The Southwest region, facing the driest conditions, saw Xitavo XO 3855E and Xitavo XO 4255E both yield 49.5 bushels per acre at Springfield, the highest in the area. Meanwhile, in the Southeast, FS HiSoy HS 46F40 led with an average yield of 75.6 bushels per acre, with a top yield of 94.5 bushels per acre at Dexter.
The Missouri soybean variety testing program, conducted across multiple regions and sites, provides valuable insight into how different soybean varieties perform under varied conditions. While extreme weather challenges were present, it also highlighted the importance of long-term yield data and the need for understanding variety resilience over multiple years.
Photo Credit: istock-ds70
Categories: Missouri, Crops, Soybeans, Weather