By DOUG GRAVES
Ohio Correspondent

DUNKIRK, Ohio — Heavy rains during planting impacted yield and seed size in a Farmer’s Independent Research of Seed Technologies (F.I.R.S.T.) soybean test on Jerry McBride’s farm in Hardin County.

F.I.R.S.T manager Rich Schleuning planted the plot on June 15 with 30-inch row spacing, at 145,000 seeds per acre, and harvested the finished soybeans at 107,800 plants per acre Oct. 16. The plot was no-till in well-drained, non-irrigated, sandy clay loam soil, with high potassium and phosphate.

The top-yielding variety in this test was Steyer’s 3402R2, at 48.8 bushels per acre and with a gross per acre income of $529.70.

FS Seeds’ HS28A02 came in second in this test with a yield of 43.7 bushels per acre and an income of $474.90 per acre.

The third-place finisher was Buckeye’s PS309RR2, yielding 41.7 bushels per acre with a gross income of $452.70. Steyer owned the next three spots in this test: Fourth was variety 2803R2, producing 41.5 bushels per acre and an income of $450.90; 3202R2 was fifth at 41 bushels and an income of $447.70; and 2801R2 was sixth, at 39.5 bushels and an income of $429.

According to Schleuning, a wet spring and very dry conditions in late summer caused the low yields.

“Heavy rains in May delayed the farmer’s planting in this test plot until mid-June,” he said. “And the later planting date, combined with the extreme dryness later in the planting season, devastated the yields and resulted in a small bean size, a size much smaller than we normally see. But despite the dry conditions in August the plants reached a height of 34 inches.”

According to Schleuning, the farm owner reported the soybeans he planted in April in an area just outside the test plot averaged 58 bushels per acre.
 “That early-planted soybean was some of the best yield in soybean in the area,” he said. “Sometimes you can’t always blame the seed brand for dismal results, because Mother Nature has a lot to do with it.”

The average test plot yield for all varieties was 38.1 bushels per acre. Thirty-six seed brands were planted in this plot, which followed a crop of corn with a Keystone herbicide. Roundup was the pest management during this test.
To learn more details about the top-yielding varieties, visit www.firstseedtests.com