Fantastic Soy Bean Yields

We've had more sunshine this year, then we've had in 100 years in Southern Ontario, and the Yields are bigger then ever.
I was doing a weigh-off  in the Nairn area last week, and we had a yield of 72 bushels per acre. The variety was  S18-R6 - Conventional NK soy beans. 
At the same location, (another field close by) we had a yield of 68 bushels per acre of the same variety.

I had an email this week from Eric Richter with Syngenta, stating that he witnessed an 80+ bushel crop of NK soybeans S14-M4  - RR2  variety in the Zone 1 maturity.

So when your neighbor tells you about his "unbelievable yields " this year, he might just be telling you the truth!!!!


Kelley Schroeyers

Spider Mites and Scouting

I was scouting last week in the Arkona and Forest areas.   These areas have been affected by the lack of moisture, and there were many soy bean fields with spider mite infestation.  There have also been sightings of spider mites on corn as well.

Another observation is the level of insect feeding in many soybean fields.  Although the defoliation level in most fields is not at threshold, there appears to be many insects feeding on soybeans including grasshoppers, bean leaf beetle, flea beetle, Japanese beetle and various loppers and caterpillars. 

Please keep scouting, so we can control these pests, and not have our yields negatively effected!

Kelley Schroeyers

Beechwood Agri Services

Double Cropping - What Maturity Should be Planted?

This information was sent to us by Eric Richter , Agronomist at Syngenta Canada.

For those  customers considering double cropping soybeans, one of the most common questions is about the maturity that should be planted.

A)     Regardless of location, if the soybeans are planted by June 20^th, I am comfortable recommending full season soybeans for that respective maturity zone.  The crop will mature as expected with very low risk of crop failure due to delayed maturity and a postponed harvest.  These soybean fields will most likely be post-Thanksgiving Harvest and panting winter wheat not likely an option.

B)      If planting June 20^th-30^th, it still would be advisable to start a maturity down shift perhaps 100 CHU to reduce maturity risk so  as not to postpone harvest exceptionally late.

C)      Planting double crop soybeans in July, the grower definitely needs to down-shift 150-200 CHU from regular maturity that would be planted in May or early-June. Harvest will still most likely be in early November

      A tech report is also available from Eric on soybean double crop systems.  If you'd like a copy, please contact Rich or myself.

      Kelley Schroeyers

     

     

Early Planting

Horst Bohner spoke at our Grower Meeting last week.  One of the topics he addressed was “early planting”.

Many of the growers I’ve spoken with over the last couple of weeks are thinking of “early planting”.  I hope the following will be helpful in answering some questions.

Horst Bohner, soybean specialist for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, predicted some spring cereals would be planted at the end of the week if the weather stayed dry. Forages and grasses will also be planted as soon as possible, he said, and some peas and sugar beets are already in.

However, adds Bohner, the province’s main cash crops, corn and soybeans, should not be planted in March, regardless of weather conditions that are making Ontario’s spring flowers and shrubbery bloom weeks ahead of normal. 

“There will be just a few acres planted to test equipment but no one should start planting significant acres of corn until mid-April,” he says. “Even if the weather stays warm over the next couple of weeks I don’t know anyone that is comfortable planting significant acres of corn before the middle of April.”

Bohner says soybeans can be planted as early as April 20 in the southwest, but there is no yield advantage to planting too early. He recommends the bulk of soybean planting occur between May 1 and 10 to achieve maximum yields.

Kelley Schroeyers – Beechwood Agri Services

Benefits of Planting Red Clover Applied in Spring on Winter Wheat

Should I plant clover on my winter wheat or not?
This is a question growers think about after inspecting their wheat crop over the winter months.
Here are just a few benefits that may help you decide to spread clover over your wheat. It is best to put clover onto the wheat field on frozen ground but times can vary depending the type of weather we get in early spring. Some areas growers apply in early March and other areas could go into April.
Now back to some of the benefits:
- very efficient in nitrogen fixation
- acts as a green manure
- adds considerable biomass and improves microbial life in the soil
- helps control soil erosion and some weed depression
- improves soil filtration and soil structure
- improves water holding capacity infiltration and permeability rates
How much clover should i apply?
Depending on soil type the normal rate is 7 to 10 lbs per acre- this can be adjusted for a lighter or heavier soil.
What kind is better to put on Double Cut Red Clover or Single Cut Red Clover?
Double Cut red clover is most widely used over single cut is mainly because it blooms earlier.
And finally if you want your clover for a plowdown 40 cm is excellent to plow.
I hope this supplies you with answers of any questions you had about applying clover on your winter wheat.
Please leave any questions or comments.
Rich Koscik - Beechwood Agri Services

Beans on Beans (part 1) by Kelley Schroeyers

This year we had a late harvest in Southern Ontario and many growers were unable to plant their winter wheat.

With this in mind, as well as strong market pricing on Soy Beans, many of our growers will be planting “Beans on Beans”.

If you’re one of these growers, you’ll find the following report useful.

                Tech report for Beechwood Agri-services

“Beans on Beans”

In the quest to grow the best possible crop of soybeans, growers appreciate and understand the importance crop rotations.   Years of on-farm trials, cropping experiences as well as a wealth of research data confirms that crop rotations are extremely beneficial for increasing crop yields, adding more bio-diversity, improving soil health and creating better integrated crop pest and disease control and management systems.  But as we know, the best cropping plan may not always be possible.  That’s working with Mother Nature, that’s farming and it is always wise to have a plan B.

That brings up the topic of “Beans on Beans”.  Certainly not a common, nor a recommended practice but more frequent than one would first think.  Higher acreages of 2^nd year soybeans usually coincide with heavy winter wheat kill. This can generate situations where 5% of the total soybean acres are replanted to “Beans on Beans” with only a short break crop of winter wheat during the fall and winter months.  Market conditions may also create unique profitability driven decisions where producers decide to plant “Beans on Beans”.  Growing continuous soybeans is definitely not a recommended practice and creates a situation where it is difficult to maintain longterm yields above profitability levels.  This report will examine the practice of short-term “2^nd year - Beans on Beans” only.

Beans on Beans (part 2) by Kelley Schroeyers

One important consideration is whether the crop needs to be an identity preserved, non-GMO crop.  This production system will restrict or eliminate some options and will dictate other decisions.  For example, if the first year soybean crop was a GMO crop, it will not be possible to grow a 2^nd year non-GMO, I.P. crop.  The chance of volunteer plants from the previous RR soybean year’s crop is extremely low, but still possible.  Thus, a 2^nd year crop of I.P. non-GMO is prohibited due to the terms and conditions of most production contracts.  In the situation where the 1^st year soybeans were a I.P., non-GMO field, and the grower no plans to re-crop to a non-GMO, identity preserved soybean variety, it is best to plant the 2^nd year crop to the same variety.  With 2^nd year crush beans of course this discussion of non-GMO vs GMO is a non-issue.

From an agronomic perspective there are a number of cultural practices that will help to minimize the yield decline from the dreaded “Bean on Beans” syndrome.  In most years, it is not uncommon to experience a 10% drop in yields primarily from increased disease and insect pressure.  The only exception is when soybeans are re-cropped after 1^st year soybeans on virgin ground.  In this situation, soybean yields may actually increase slightly in the 2^nd year due to the higher population of rhizobia and resulting higher nodulation numbers and subsequent increased nitrogen production for the soybean plant.  The acres on which this might occur in southern Ontario are now extremely rare.

Beans on Beans (part 3) by Kelley Schroeyers

  Recommended cultural practices with 2^nd year soys:

A) Conduct primary fall tillage to bury residue

B) Grow different soybean variety

C) Select variety with excellent disease package, (PPR, Pod & Stem Blight, WM, SDS, BSR, Septoria)

D) Select variety with strong pest protection including SCN and soybean aphid

E) Plant Crusier Maax treated, certified seed

F) Spray with fungicide such as Quilt at R1-R2, consider second spray at R5

G) Scout field for insect and diseases more frequently than 1^st year soybeans fields

By following these guidelines, growers can still produce a profitable crop of 2^nd year soybeans.  It is wise to remember, that many soybean pests are called slow builders.  This is where the pressure slowly ramps up each year, especially in fields where the soybean rotation frequency is higher than desired within the cropping cycles, until the pest pressure reaches critical threshold levels.  Once these levels are surpassed, there is a negative impact on production each time soybeans are grown within the cropping system.  It is said by many soybean specialists including Don McClure, soybean breeder with Syngenta, that soybean diseases and pest are the biggest limiting factor to increasing on-farm average yields.  The guidelines in this tech report are meant to help producers through plan B situations only.  To maintain the highest production levels possible, it is imperative that producers maximize crop rotations with their cropping systems.

Eric Richter, B. Sc (AGR),  C.C.A.

Agronomic Sales Rep

Syngenta Canada