The results from this year’s commercial soybean variety performance trials are posted on-line.
Soybean tests are conducted annually to provide information regarding the performance of soybeans grown in Pennsylvania. The results for these trials are available online. The shorter season varieties (Groups II and III) were tested at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs in Centre County and on a private farm near Martinsburg in Blair County. The longer maturing varieties (Groups III and IV) were tested at the Southeast Agricultural Research and Extension Center located in Lancaster County. Both glyphosate-resistant (Roundup Ready) varieties as well as non-Roundup Ready varieties were tested at the Centre and Lancaster County locations. At the Blair County location, only Roundup Ready varieties were tested. The following soybean variety trials were implemented for the 2013 season: Early (MG 3.3 and earlier) full-season Roundup Ready in Lancaster County; Late (MG 3.4 and later) full-season Roundup Ready in Lancaster County; full-season non-Roundup Ready in Lancaster County; Early (MG 3.0 and earlier) full-season Roundup Ready in Centre and Blair Counties; late (MG 3.1 and later) full-season Roundup Ready in Centre and Blair Counties; full-season non-Roundup Ready in Centre County. Both non-Roundup Ready trials had two commonly grown Roundup Ready entries which were used as a check for comparison against the other varieties. Individual trial results were measured separately and therefore it is highly recommended that comparisons among varieties be limited to within-trial comparisons and not across the different trials.
Results summary. During the 2013 season, the average yield of the 29 entries in the Centre County Roundup Ready Late MG trial was 58.3 bushels per acre. The Early MG trial consisted of 19 entries and averaged 49.3 bushels per acre. These yields were down somewhat compared to the 2012 yields in the same trials, especially in the early MG trial, which averaged almost 12 bushels higher in 2012. The non-Roundup Ready trial in Centre County averaged 57.1 bushels per acre, which was slightly lower when compared to 2012 trial. Growing conditions in Centre County were unusually cold and windy for the first few weeks after planting, which caused some soil crusting and subsequent thin stands in places. June and July had near normal growing conditions, but by early August, the weather turned dryer than normal and continued to be unusually dry through much of September. This dry weather most likely affected pod-fill for many soybean varieties.
The Blair County Roundup Ready Late MG trial, which consisted of 30 entries, averaged 52.3 bushels per acre. The Roundup Ready Early MG trial in Blair County had 16 entries and averaged 54.2 bushels per acre. Yields in both trials were down when compared to the 2012 yields in the same trials, especially the Late MG trial, which averaged over 15 bushels higher in 2012. Growing conditions at the Blair County trials were similar to the Centre County trials, including the unusually cold weather soon after planting and the late season dry period.
Yields in the 2013 Lancaster County Roundup Ready Late MG trial, consisting of 59 entries, averaged 62.7 bushels per acre. The Early MG trial, which had 27 entries, averaged 63.8 bushels per acre. The non-Roundup Ready trial averaged 68.4 bushels per acre. The 2013 yields in all three trials were slightly higher compared to the same trials in 2012. Growing conditions in Lancaster County were excellent during the month of June, with warm temperatures and a total of 5.7 inches of rain. July was a little dryer than June, with a total of 2.6 inches of rain for the month. August had near normal temperatures, with a little over 4 inches of timely rainfall for the month, which undoubtedly had a positive effect on pod-fill for many of the entries.
Source : psu.edu