Tips for preparing for soybean planting after years of corn

Feb 02, 2015

Four steps could help lead to a successful soybean rotation

As planting season quickly approaches, farmers will begin to decide whether or not to continue monocropping or branch out and try to grow a different crop this year.

Andrew Ferrel, from Mycogen Seeds whose headquarters are in Indianapolis, came up with a list of four steps to take if deciding to switch from a corn crop to a soybean crop for this upcoming planting season.

1. Start with a clean field
Breaking down corn crop residue can take a long time. The leftover corn crop can act as a barrier for soybean seedlings, especially in fields where reduced tillage or no tillage is practiced. As a result, soil can stay cooler and wetter longer. Ferrel said even some light tillage in areas with heavy corn residue can create a clean seed bed and better seed-to-soil contact ratios.

2. Head off emergence issues
Insect pressures and seedling diseases can affect seedling emergence. Ferrel recommends a seed treatment to help initiate a strong stand, earlier closure of the canopy and of course, help with higher yields.

3. Consider soil inoculants
Years of corn monocropping can decrease the amount of Bradyrhizobium japonicum, the soil bacteria responsible for fixing nitrogen in soybeans. Ferrel says inoculants could benefit fields that have been out of soybean rotation for four years. He says they’re inexpensive compared to other inputs and can be worth the investment.

4. Watch nutrient levels
Corn is usually responsible for the depletion of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Before planting soybeans, take the proper soil test levels, paying special attention to phosphorous and potassium and adjusting to make the best environment for high soybean yields.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.