Source: Carrie Knott, grain crops specialist

Double-crop soybean planting is occurring across the state. Here are some tips to help you get the crop off to a good start and achieve full yield potential.

It’s important to plant double-crop soybeans as soon as you can. At this point in the growing season, each day planting is delayed results in a 1% decrease in yield potential.

Select a variety that is resistant to common disease and pest problems in soybeans. You should plant double-crop soybeans between 1.75 inches and 2 inches deep, as this tends to be where the most soil moisture is. Plants need this moisture to promote germination and seedling development. Do not plant soybeans deeper than 2 inches, as the plants may use up all of their energy trying to reach the soil surface and consequently, may not emerge.

Double-crop soybeans may not have the same growing conditions as full-season soybeans. The crop may have less available ground moisture during this time, which can negatively affect germination. Adjust your seeding rates to account for a 20% to 25% stand loss. For maximum yields, you need to aim to harvest 140,000 plants per acre.

While the previous six growing seasons have seen above-normal rainfall, research shows that seed treatments do not increase yields in double-crop soybeans in wetter-than-average years. The best way to increase yields is to plant as soon as possible and to harvest 140,000 plants per acre.

If you are planting into a field that has a history of nodulation problems, has been saturated for a several months or has not produced soybeans in three to five years, you probably need to use a Bradyrhizobium japonicum seed inoculant to maximize yields.

More information on soybeans and other agronomic topics is available by contacting the (COUNTY NAME) office of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service.

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