Some soybean varieties produce higher pod counts and more beans while others produce heavier beans but fewer pods and fewer beans.
When it comes to choosing soybean varieties how should growers factor seed weight and pod count into their variety selection decisions? That’s a question the Maizex Seeds agronomy team has been looking at in research plots, and findings should help growers when selecting and managing varieties, says Maizex agronomist Henry Prinzen.
On this episode of The Sharp Edge, Prinzen notes the company’s 2023 research plots revealed that seed weight can have a huge influence on yield. Overall, trial results indicated that 53 per cent of yield was explained by variation in seed weight, compared to 12 per cent for pod count and seed number.
“It’s evident that some varieties are seed weight varieties that excel with high yield associated with heavy seed weights,” says Prinzen. “There are other varieties that pod their way to higher yields.”
In the video, Prinzen explores each characteristic and how to best position different soybean varieties for yield success. He says pod count varieties tend to be more consistent when moisture is scarce later in the season. In this case, more pods and beans can deliver higher yield. On the other hand, large-seeded beans tend to put on weight later in the season in fertile soil with adequate moisture.
From a strategic perspective, Prinzen says it always makes sense for growers to build diversity and risk management into their variety selections. “It’s probably good to have one of each. That’s kind of the strategy I look for when we talk about positioning beans.” Watch the video below.
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