FIRST soybean tests show strong yields

Nov 16, 2023

Yield reports are in from fields across the Midwest and impacts of the ongoing drought are proving to be less than expected.

This year’s Farmers’ Independent Research of Seed Technologies (FIRST) soybean yield results showed strong production overall despite some tough conditions.

Iowa saw wide variability in soybean yields across the state. In the northernmost sites, yields ranged from 37.6 bushels per acre in Iowa Falls to 67.7 in Hull. The 37.6 bu./acre figure was an outlier, with only one of the other six sites, Osage, posting a sub-50 average yield.

The variability is illustrated comparing Iowa Falls’ low yield to nearby Ventura, which averaged 63.4 bushels per acre. Both those sites are in the north central region, roughly 56 miles from each other.

In the southern portion of Iowa, yields were exceptional. In the FIRST sites managed by Randy Meinsma, yields ranged from 60.7 in Central City to 80.3 in Washington. Cambria, in south central Iowa, posted an average 72.3 bu./acre, while the westernmost site in Oakland reached an average of 70.1.

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Video: Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Can winter canola open new opportunities for growers in the Mid-South? In this agronomy update from Noxubee County, Mississippi, Pioneer agronomist Gus Eifling shares an early look at a first-year winter canola trial and what farmers are learning from the field.

Planted in late October on 30-inch rows, the crop is now entering the bloom stage and progressing quickly. In this video, we walk through current field conditions, fertility management, and how timing could make this crop a valuable option for double-cropping soybeans or cotton.

If harvest timing lines up with early May, growers may be able to transition directly into another crop during ideal planting windows. Ongoing field trials will help determine whether canola could become a viable rotational option for the region.

Watch for:

How winter canola is performing in its first season in this Mississippi field

Why growers chose 30-inch rows for this trial

What the crop looks like as it moves from bolting into bloom

Fertility strategy, including nitrogen and sulfur applications

How canola harvest timing could enable double-cropping with soybeans or cotton

Upcoming trials comparing soybeans after canola vs. traditional planting

As more growers look for ways to maximize acres and diversify rotations, experiments like this help determine what new crops might fit into existing systems.