By Linda Geist
The University of Missouri Extension Soybean Growth Monitoring biweekly report for 2026 is now available.
The report, in its third year of publication, provides soybean farmers information on the progress of the Missouri soybean crop every two weeks.
This tool uses crop growth models to simulate soybean development and yield across different regions of Missouri, using both current and historical weather data, and validates its results with the Soybean Farming Systems field experiments network.
Its main goal is to help farmers understand how weather is influencing crop development and attainable yield. For example, the reports indicate if the season is trending above or below average, allowing farmers to anticipate yield outcomes well before harvest. These forecasts support in-season decision-making by providing timely insights into crop performance, says MU Extension soybean farming systems specialist Andre Reis.
Reis and his team compile the report. The first report of the 2026 season focuses on biomass accumulations as a proxy for crop growth and performance. Future reports will include yield predictions.
Heavy and uneven rainfall in Missouri has slowed soybean planting in the past week. USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service reported that 20% of the state’s 2026 soybean crop remains to be planted, only slightly more than the 18% mark for the same period in 2025.
“Early-season wetness continues to create challenges for soybean emergence, stand establishment and vegetative development,” said Reis.
Recent warm weather should support improved soybean growth, although more rainfall may continue to limit access to fields, he said. Prolonged wetness also can reduce nodulation and early nitrogen fixation, so monitor fields for plant vigor and overall health, he said.
In the report, he urges farmers to carefully consider whether they should replant and to weigh the yield penalty associated with late planting.
“Soybean vegetative growth appears to be lagging in many regions of the state,” Reis said. “We expect vegetative growth to recover between now and the onset of seed filling.”
Source : missouri.edu