After a near record-breaking-planting season across parts of southern Illinois, many areas around the state are now facing rain delays. When we’re fortunate enough to have an early spring, the trend often shifts toward planting soybeans first — or at least alongside the corn crop. But for growers now delayed, the question becomes: Once fields dry out, what gets planted first? I have a sneaking suspicion it’s King Corn, of course.

That often leads to another question: What happens to those later-planted soybeans? Has the yield potential already been lost if soybeans aren’t planted as early as possible? Not necessarily. While early planting can help maximize soybean yield potential, later-planted soybeans can still be highly productive with the right management strategy. Here are four key areas to focus on to help maximize yield potential in later-planted soybeans.

1. Seeding Rate

When it comes to seeding rates, the first thing to consider is the end goal: YIELD. Where do soybeans develop pods? At each node. That means maximizing node development across the field is critical, especially since later-planted soybeans may not achieve the same growth potential.

For soybeans planted in April and May, growers are typically targeting around 140,000 seeds per acre. However, as planting moves into June, increasing seeding rates becomes more important to help compensate for reduced vegetative growth.

According to research from Ohio State University, recommended seeding rates for the first half of June range from 150,000 to 175,000 seeds per acre. During the second half of June, recommendations increase to 175,000 to 200,000 seeds per acre.

2. Weed Control

Weed control is always top of mind for soybean producers, but it becomes even more critical as planting dates move later into the season. Warmer temperatures help soybeans emerge and grow quickly — but they also accelerate the growth of troublesome weeds like waterhemp. Establishing a strong residual herbicide program at planting is essential to keep fields clean while soybeans work toward canopy closure.

Later-planted soybeans, especially those planted in 30-inch rows, may take longer to canopy, which also gives weeds more opportunity to germinate!

3. Variety Selection

As planting gets delayed, many corn growers start thinking about switching to earlier-maturity hybrids than originally planned. However, that’s typically not the case for soybeans. For soybeans, we generally expect about a one-day delay in maturity for every three-day delay in planting. Because of that relationship, growers can usually continue planting full-season soybean varieties without significantly increasing frost risk.

As the season progresses, selecting a full-season maturity group allows soybean plants to maximize light interception and reproductive growth.

4. In-Season Protection

Later-planted soybeans still have strong yield potential, so it’s important not to “plant it and forget it.” Seed treatments, particularly fungicide and insecticide components, play a vital role in stand establishment and reducing early-season stress.

As the crop progresses, fungicide applications at R1 or R3 — depending on the target disease— can help protect flowers, pods and overall plant health during reproductive stages. Protecting those late-season yield-building opportunities can make a significant difference at harvest.

Final Thoughts

As growers get back into the field, it’s important not to give up on the soybean crop. Instead, focus on adjusting management practices to help preserve and maximize yield potential.

There’s still a long growing season ahead, and later-planted soybeans can still deliver strong results with the right approach. With a few strategic management tweaks, there’s still plenty of opportunity to challenge your farm’s record yields this fall.