harvest

Soybeans in the Plains East Region had variable yields just as all of the other crops.  Irrigated soybeans with good ground and good fertility did reach levels of the high 60’s to pushing 70 bu per acre.  Overall, lot of the irrigated soybeans hit in the 50-65 bu range.  There were exceptions to this.  If the field was a rougher piece of ground or some pure light sands, difficulties with nutrient availability in combination of enough water did lower the yields considerably.

As we near the end of November, soybean harvest has pretty much come to a conclusion for 2012.  There may still be some double crop beans coming out in south east Kansas.  But, for the most part harvest is over.

This has been a very interesting year when it comes to soybeans.  Harvest results were all over the board.  Central Nebraska had some of the best yields in the entire U.S..

The 2012 soybean crop in southern Illinois and Missouri surprised a lot of growers this fall when their combines got into the fields.  After the extreme drought and heat that hit most of the Midwest this past summer, growers experienced low and disappointing corn yields.  With lowered expectations from the corn yields, bean yields appeared to exceed expectations.  August rains that passed through much of the region were the saving grace for the bean crop.  Seed size can be attributed to gain in soybean yields from the late rainfall.  Most plants were past the sta

Soybean yield performance varied throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin, but was overall better than many expected considering the seasons' challenges. Planting got off to a good start with warm and dry spring weather, but soils began to crust over in areas, and many growers had to use a rotary hoe to break up the soil crust, or in some situations replant fields. There were also issues with planting into extremely dry soils and waiting several weeks for enough moisture for the seed to imbibe water and germinate. These complications resulted in lower than desired final plant stands.

Soybeans in Northern Illinois in general had a pretty good year.  We had a few areas in Eastern Illinois that were planted late and didn't yield quite as well, but better than expected.  With a lot of 90 degree days during the summer months, this helped slow fungal diseases like White Mold, Brown Stem Rot and Sudden Death Syndrome.

Throughout the stress of the year, most producers discounted the yield potential of soybeans this year.  Soybean plants had low branching and low pod counts throughout the growing season.  Late rains began to fall in late summer and this led to yield results that surprised most producers.  Yield results varied with the area but many producers reported yields that ranged from 30 to 70+ bushels per acre.

Soybean harvest in the western and southern parts of the state has been completed for weeks now, but some areas in the north have had a challenge getting soybeans out of the field again this year because of wet conditions.  There are many fields with combine tracks striped across them.  In these fields, manage for compaction when the soils dry out enough to avoid years of yield hits in the compacted areas.

Soybean yields this year were almost as much of a surprise as the corn yields. The difference being, most of the time it was a surprise on the positive side. Some of the things that were discussed in the corn blog can be carried through to the soybean side. With the weather pattern we experienced this year we saw very little disease. With soybeans being a legume and having a tap root, they fair slightly better on a dry year. Soybeans for the most part do not like “wet feet”, but they do respond well to rains later into the growing season.

Most of the combines are in the shed in Northern Illinois.  We experienced a smooth harvest with few rain days.  In fact, we could really use a few rains to replenish sub-soil moisture for next season.  Farmers in general are pleasantly surprised with their corn yields.  Even in the very drought stressed part of Eastern Illinois we were seeing 15 to 20 bushel higher yields than expected.  Overall LG2549VT3 really dominated in each region of Northern Illinois this year with its outstanding health and consistent flex ears.  We did experience s

Harvest operations are complete except for a few fields in northern and eastern Indiana. Indiana average yield is estimated to be about 100 bushels per acre, down from 146 in 2011, an expected a result from the summer heat and drought. Southern regions were hardest hit. Average yield in southern Indiana is 75 bushels per acre. Kentucky state average yield is about 68 bushels per acre, 71 bushels less than 2011. Dry and hot conditions moved west and north in late July to early August.