The calendar is turning to June after a stretch of cool and wet weather has many Ontario soybean growers waiting for seeds to emerge, while others are still looking for an opportunity to plant the crop.
What are the prospects for those struggling beans? How much yield potential remains for beans yet to be planted? And when should growers consider replanting? On this episode of the RealAgriculture Soybean School, host Bernard Tobin has rounded up two of the best minds in the business to tackle these questions.
Tobin is joined by Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness soybean specialist Horst Bohner who shares what he's observed as some early-planted soybeans have taken up to 35 days to emerge. Is Bohner concerned? Growers would like to see soybeans emerge 10 days after planting, but he doesn't typically conduct stand counts until 20 days after planting and feels warmer weather ahead will spur seed in slow emerging fields to push through.
When it comes to planting dates and the yield potential, University of Guelph professor Dr. David Hooker says soybeans planted in June still pack a yield punch. In the video, Hooker reviews the results of a robust three-year study that looked at yield performance based on planting dates at three Ontario locations — Ridgetown, Elora and Winchester.
The bottom line, says Hooker, is growers who chose adapted varieties in areas such as Elora and Winchester can expect up to 90 per cent of the yield potential when planting during the first week of June.
The story and strategy is different, however, for longer season areas like Ridgetown, says Hooker. Here it pays to plant earlier, as long-season varieties in the southwestern part of the province tend to see their highest yield when planted in late April and see a gradual decline in yield potential as the season progresses.
Bohner also looks at stand assessment and when growers should consider replanting a thin stand. He wants to see at least 90,000 to 100,000 plants per acre on a growthy loam soil. That number increases to 120,000 plants for heavier clay soils.
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