Before growers decide what to buy for next season, they need to understand what happened this season. Yield maps, scouting notes and conversations from the combine can give you, as a retailer, a starting point for next year’s planning. Soybean genetics, seed protection or management changes should all be carefully considered to improve yield performance for your growers. By helping them connect field-level results with the conditions that produced them, you can turn last season’s lessons into next season’s plan while those lessons and data are still fresh.
Look beyond the yield average
Start with the fields, or areas within fields, that did not perform as expected. Yield maps can show where problems occurred, but they rarely tell the whole story. Comparing precision yield maps with scouting records, field observations and soil-health information can give you better insights to identify patterns that may have affected plant health and performance.
The challenge is that the same symptom may have more than one cause. Poor emergence may point to soilborne diseases, early-season insects or less-than-ideal planting conditions. Weed pressure may reveal gaps in the herbicide program or indicate possible herbicide resistance. Disease patterns, drainage problems and other soil limitations can provide additional clues. Reviewing these factors gives you a stronger foundation for recommending which soybean varieties, treatments or management practices should change next season.
Match soybean varieties to each field
Once you know what held a field back, the next step is choosing different soybean varieties that fit its needs. Start with local university variety trials, but don’t focus only on the top yield number. Look for steady performance across several sites and years. Then consider maturity group, disease ratings, standability and herbicide trait package, including Enlist E3® soybeans and XtendFlex® soybeans.¹ XtendFlex varieties also offer tolerance to Liberty® herbicide, giving growers another post-emergence option when planning a LibertyLink® soybean weed-control program.
TheXitavo® soybean seed yield trial map can add local product data to the discussion. BASF’s Variety Profile Index, or VPI, describes how each variety builds yield, including whether it relies more on the main stem or branches. You can use that information, along with your knowledge of the field, to improve variety placement.
Build soybean seed protection around field risk
The right soybean seed variety still needs protection against the threats specific to each field. Review field history, planting date and past stand problems before choosing fungicide, insecticide or biological seed treatments.
For example, a field with a history of sudden death syndrome or soybean cyst nematode may need a different treatment than a field with early insect pressure. BASF seed treatment options include ILEVO® seed treatment and Vault® IP Plus seed treatment. The goal is not to give every acre the same package, but instead to build a plan around the risks most likely to hurt stand establishment and early growth in each field.
Use digital tools to finalize the plan
Digital tools can help bring these choices together. xarvio® FIELD MANAGER and SeedSelect use field data, soil traits and variety information to help you match Xitavo soybean seed to specific fields. RevX Fields can also provide local, on-farm results to support fungicide planning.
Once the field plan is set, growers can decide what to buy before year-end. Prebuying may help secure their preferred soybean varieties, improve product availability and lock in eligible prices or program offers before spring. Some cash-basis growers may also be able to deduct prepaid seed and other farm supplies in the year they pay for them from their taxes.² However, you should encourage growers to review those choices with their tax adviser.
Starting these talks after harvest gives growers more time to weigh their options and gives you more time to build a complete soybean plan before spring.
Experts are available to help you make your decisions regarding soybean seed varieties. Reach out to a nearby extension office agent or a seed company professional like your regional BASF representative.
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Endnotes
- Licht, Mark. “Soybean Variety Selection.” Integrated Crop Management, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, 10 June 2026,crops.extension.iastate.edu/encyclopedia/soybean-variety-selection.
- Tidgren, Kristine A. “End of Year Tax Planning Considerations for Farmers in 2021.” Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation, Iowa State University, 1 Jan. 2022,www.calt.iastate.edu/post/end-year-tax-planning-considerations-farmers-2021.
