High-yielding soybeans are every bit as important to Dan Vogel as the corn he grows on his central Illinois farm.
“Given fertilizer and other input costs, you could even argue the last year or two that soybeans are a more profitable crop than corn,” Vogel says.
Soybean yields have been steadily increasing, contributing more dollars to his bottom line.
“The past few years we’ve averaged in the mid- to upper 70s range,” Vogel says, who’s based near Roanoke, Ill. He expects this year’s soybean crop to exceed those numbers.
“Our high so far has been 93 bu. per acre on one farm, and I expect to average near 85 bu. per acre overall,” he reported in early October.
Vogel attributes his steady increases to:
- planting soybeans early
- applying fungicide to protect the crop
- fueling the crop with nutrient levels that support higher yields
“We put on the appropriate amount of nutrients for the soybean crop in the given year we’re growing it, instead of trying to bank nutrients or put on a two-year spread like we used to,” Vogel says.
Create An Opportunity For Higher Yields
Drew Beckman, a Becks Hybrids field agronomist who works with farmers in northern Illinois, including Vogel, says he increasingly talks with growers about the need to supply high-yielding soybeans with adequate nutrients.
To explain, Beckman says the removal rate for 1 bu. of soybeans is approximately 3.8 lb. of nitrogen (N), 0.8 lb. of phosphorus (P2O5) and 1.5 lb. of potassium (K2O).
“A 75-bu. soybean crop, for instance, will remove approximately 285 lb. of nitrogen, 60 lb. of actual phosphorus, and 84 lb. of potassium per acre,” Beckman explains.
Along with those macronutrients, he says sulfur is also increasingly needed by high-yielding, early-planted soybeans. Research by Shaun Casteel, a soybean specialist and associate professor of agronomy at Purdue University, indicates that as well.
Casteel’s research shows applying a sulfate sulfur (SO₄²⁻) just ahead of soybean planting through early vegetative growth (V2 to V3) provides the most benefit, boosting yields an average of 8 bu. to 11 bu. per acre. Casteel recommends using 15 lb. to 20 lb. of sulfur per acre as a starting point and evaluating the results by using test plots or field test strips.
Looking Ahead To 2025
While Vogel says he is concerned about the high cost of fertilizer, especially phosphorus, he plans to stick with rates that support high yields.
“We talked about cutting back, but we do variable-rate grid sampling, and we’re going to continue fertilizing based on the recommendations of our soil tests,” he says.
Beckman adds that maintaining a soil pH level of between 6.0 and 7.0 also helps maximize nutrient availability as well as biological nitrogen fixation.
Beckman says the 2024 season provided a reminder that planting in ideal conditions is also important.
“I saw a lot of sidewall compaction, which restricts root growth, reducing nitrogen availability and nodulation,” he explains. “With input costs the way they are, we can focus more on getting the fundamentals done well. Those are benefits that might require more time and effort, but they’re free.”
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