When planting soybeans after corn does the oilseed benefit from pre-plant tillage? A little spring tillage certainly enhances yield, says Horst Bohner, soybean specialist for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). Based on accumulated OMAFRA trial data, growers can expect plant stands to be 10 per cent higher and fields to… Read More
Rolling right after planting has become a common practice on soybean fields in Western Canada over the last decade, but there are some good reasons to consider delaying the timing of rolling until after the crop is up. Rolling right behind the planter or drill improves seed-to-soil contact and is definitely less unnerving than rolling… Read More
Soybeans can handle cold, dry conditions at planting, but growers need to be careful when a cold, wet forecast is bearing down on their farm. Planting is proceeding quickly across Ontario, but many growers are asking if they should park the planter as an early-May polar vortex approaches the province — daytime highs of 3… Read More
Drier weather over the last few years has taken some of the wind out of soybeans’ sails in Western Canada, but there’s a case to be made that fundamental climate trends on the Prairies still support good soybeans yields in the longer term. Especially if growers are on the ball with planting when the soil… Read More
When it’s mid-April, relatively dry, but cool, should you plant soybeans? We tackle that question on the latest RealAgriculture Soybean School episode with Horst Bohner, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs soybean specialist. Bohner has a simple answer to our question. Basically, he recommends planting both soybeans and corn within the same window…. Read More
As a cover crop, cereal rye brings a lot to the table. It improves soil structure, builds organic matter, and protects against water and wind erosion. It’s also relatively inexpensive, can be seeded late, enhances weed control and is easy to kill. That makes it a nice fit for cash crop producers looking for a… Read More
During planting season, Kearney Planters service manager Shaun Dilliott gets plenty of calls from growers asking for seed meter management advice. Most of those calls come from soybean growers looking for tips on two types of meters — a John Deere radial meter or a Kinze brush meter. On this episode of RealAgriculture’s Soybean School,… Read More
Spring 2019 will be remembered by Ontario soybean growers as one of the toughest they’ve ever tackled. Unprecedented rainfall delayed planting, with the majority of soybeans being planted in June, and some acres having to wait until July. For some growers, those early rains were followed by a dry summer and then the rain and… Read More
What happens in your fields during the growing season plays a critical role in determining the numbers that pop up on the combine yield monitor at harvest. One way to better understand those final yields and improve future management decisions is to utilize digital agronomy tools that are now widely available to both growers and… Read More
In Ontario, 120,000 soybean plants per acre is a common target to maximize yield. But some of today’s modern soybean genetics can deliver much higher yields when planted at lower populations in high-yield environments. On this episode of RealAgriculture’s Soybean School, Bernard Tobin and PRIDE Seeds market agronomist Matt Chapple put this theory to the… Read More
Soybean growers looking for cover crops that can deliver soil health benefits and weed suppression without a yield hit may want to consider planting into cereal rye. Based on Ontario testing conducted in 2017 and 2018, planting soybeans into standing rye doesn’t hurt your soybean yields, says Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs… Read More
It’s May 29, and Ontario Ministry of Agriculture soybean specialist Horst Bohner has yet to plant any soybeans. It’s the latest planting season he’s experienced in 18 years on the job. It’s the same story for growers across the Ontario where soybean planting is estimated at five to 10 per cent complete. As the rain… Read More
As May 15 approaches and the rain continues to fall across Ontario, growers need to start thinking about whether they should be dialling back their chosen soybean maturity range. Research shows growing a longer-season variety can put an additional four to five bushels in the bin if they’re planted by mid-May, says AGRIS Co-operative agronomist… Read More
Don’t skip that burndown. That’s Rob Miller’s number one recommendation for soybean growers as a cold, wet spring pushes into May. Miller, BASF’s technical development manager, notes 2018 post-harvest conditions prevented many growers from controlling weeds in corn fields last fall and the yield-robbers are lurking beneath corn residue, waiting to compete with the 2019… Read More
Nobody likes counting soybean plants to determine whether a field needs to be replanted. It’s never fun, but it’s now easier thanks to the Bean Cam phone app. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Soybean School, University of Wisconsin-Madison soybean extension specialist Shawn Conley explains how growers can use the app to do quick and… Read More