Mark Apelt, regional product specialist at Beck’s Hybrids, and Mike Hannewald, precision farming field advisor at Beck’s Hybrids, explore how to select appropriate planting populations and varieties for different zones across a field.

• Key takeaways
  • 5 factors that determine soybean yields
    • Emergence
    • Number of nodes
    • Number of pods/node
    • Number of beans/pod
    • Seed size
  • Variable seeding helps drive soybean yields
    • Soil types
      • Some soils mineralize more nitrogen than others
    • Understanding genetics
      • Offensive vs. defensive
        • Offensive/reproductive/racehorse:
          • More flowers/nodes
          • Smaller leaf size, especially under stress
          • Grow faster under ideal conditions
          • Variable seed size
          • Should be planted earlier to shade the ground and keep soil temperatures cooler
        • Defensive/vegetative/workhorse
          • Fewer flowers/nodes
          • Larger leaf size
          • Grow at consistent rate
          • Have consistent seed size
          • Can be planted later to get canopy coverage quicker and shade the ground just as effectively
      • Plant height, variation in seed size, wet or dry feet tolerance, leaf size
    • Planting date
      • Should seeding rate be the same for early vs. later planted soybeans?
  • Additional management considerations
    • Write prescriptions before ordering seeds
    • Label tender boxes and planter boxes to avoid mix-ups
    • Monitor the monitor—make sure prescription is working properly
    • Be prepared for maturity/moisture differences at harvest