By John Lovett
Soybean planting decisions in Arkansas can hinge on everything from soggy spring weather to shifts in the global rice market.
When spring weather limits chances for fieldwork, producers must decide which crop gets planted first: rice or soybeans.
For researchers with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture's research arm, understanding how planting timing and maturity group affect soybean yield could help answer a practical question many farmers face every spring.
“We know farmers are looking at the economics and feasibility of all the factors,” said Justin Chlapecka, an assistant professor of agronomy in the department of crop, soil and environmental sciences. “They might have just a two-day window before it rains again in April and might not be able to get in the field for another three weeks. So they’re asking, ‘Should I plant beans, or should I plant rice?’”
At the Northeast Rice Research and Extension Center in Harrisburg, Chlapecka has been researching how planting date and maturity group combine to affect soybean management and yield potential.
Source : uada.edu