OTTERBEIN, Ind. — Seed brands from five different companies took the top spots in a soybean test this year at a farm in Benton County, Ind. The test, involving 36 different seed varieties, was conducted by Farmer’s Independent Research of Seed Technologies (F.I.R.S.T.) at the farm of Steve Gick in Otterbein.

Channel Seeds brand 3701R2 took first place for this test. The yield for this variety was an average of 73.6 bushels per acre and the estimated average gross income was $846.40 per acre. Moisture content was 11.5 percent.

Specialty Seeds’ 3712CR2 and Ebberts Field Seeds’ 2322RR2 tied for second in this test. Each produced 73.1 bushels to the acre and had an average gross income of $840.70. Specialty’s 3712CR2, though, had the lowest moisture content in this field, at just 9.5 percent.

“With this test we had a better than expected yield, as this location went seven weeks without rain,” said F.I.R.S.T. Manager Rich Schleuning, who works in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. “The late rain helped make the yield we did see. The beans were smaller than normal and some of the bottom pods were not quite fully filled out due to the lack of moisture.

“The seeds could have used a little more rain. They went through July with no rain at all. If they had caught a shower of some kind, it would have increased the yield. Thanks to the late rain, the top end of the plant produced well.”

The fourth-place finisher (with the third-highest yield) was Seed Consultants’ variety SCS 9381RR, yielding 71.3 bushels per acre with a gross per-acre income of $820. Stewart’s 3300R2 was fifth overall, which yielded 71.1 bushels and $817.70 per acre.

Rounding out the top 10 were Seed Consultants’ SCS 9351RR, Stewart’s 3412R2, Seed Consultants’ SCS 9370RR, Steyer’s 3402R2 and Specialty’s 3494CR2.

“Overall, the beans were dry, as some of the top pods had split open,” Schleuning said. “All varieties were standing straight, which made for a nice harvest. There was some light insect pressure late in the season that damaged the top pods.”

Gick’s soil is well-drained silt loam with a high percentage of potassium and phosphorous, a 6.6 pH content and 2.4 percent organic matter. The soil was seeded on May 20 at a rate of 180,000 seeds per acre. It was treated with Envive, Roundup and Stratego.

The crop was harvested Oct. 8 at 148,300 per acre. Corn was the previous crop on this no-till test region and had been treated with Guardsman and Roundup.

“For this field test I’d call the numbers great,” Schleuning said. “For the growing season across this and other areas, most guys have been tickled at the results. It was better than anticipated. Seeing 70 bushels of beans in this plot is just great.”

For more information or to learn how you may be able to host a future F.I.R.S.T. test plot, visit www.first seedtests.com