Greg Roth
Professor of Agronomy
The 2014 trials, conducted at three locations in Pennsylvania (Blair, Centre and Lancaster Counties) tested more than 100 varieties of early and late Round-Up Ready soybeans. Trials were also conducted on nearly two dozen varieties of double-crop Round-Up Ready varieties in Lancaster County and on more than a dozen varieties of non-Round-Up Ready varieties in Lancaster and Centre Counties. Results are posted on line available at the Soybean variety trial website. These tests are made possible with support from the Pennsylvania Soybean Board and the commercial seed industry.
During the 2014 season, the average yield of the 31 entries in the Centre County Roundup Ready Late Maturity Group (MG) trial was 58.7 bushels per acre, which was nearly identical to the 2013 yields in the same trial. The Early MG trial consisted of 24 entries and averaged 53.9 bushels per acre, which was slightly higher than 2013. The non-Roundup Ready trial in Centre County averaged 55.8 bushels per acre which was slightly lower when compared to 2013.
In Blair County, the Roundup Ready Late MG trial, which consisted of 31 entries, averaged 59.9 bushels per acre. The Roundup Ready Early MG trial in Blair County had 23 entries and had an identical average yield compared to the Late MG trial, of 59.9 bushels per acre. These yields were up slightly from the 2013 yields in Blair County. Growing conditions at the Blair County trials were similar to the Centre County trials.
Yields in the 2014 Lancaster County Roundup Ready Late MG trial, consisting of 45 entries, averaged 54.5 bushels per acre. The Early MG trial, which had 20 entries, averaged 49.3 bushels per acre. The non-Roundup Ready trial tested 13 varieties and averaged 52.0 bushels per acre. Yields in all three full-season trials at Lancaster, were down considerably when compared to 2013, particularly the Early MG and the non-RR trials, which were reduced by more than 20 percent. The double-crop trial, which consisted of 22 entries, averaged 54.8 bushels per acre.
Wetter than normal conditions were prevalent at all three trial locations through much of the 2014 season. This was especially true at the Blair and Centre County trials, where May and June produced almost 12 inches of rain and delayed planting until May 23rd and June 4th respectively. One exception to the wet conditions was at the Lancaster County site, where the month of August only brought 1.4 inches of rainfall. The month of October was wetter than normal and delayed harvests at all three trial locations.
Source:psu.edu