TEN STEPS TO HIGH YIELD AND PROFITABLE SOYBEAN PRODUCTION

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TEN STEPS TO HIGH YIELD AND PROFITABLE SOYBEAN
PRODUCTION

• The University of Georgia
• Extension Soybean Team

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Step 1 Rotation practices

• Rotate land so that soybeans and other legumes
  are planted on the same site no more often than
  once every two years. Rotation can help reduce
  soil borne diseases, nematodes, weed seed, and
  help build soil organic matter.
• Good rotation practices have been shown to
  increase yields of all crops by 5-10 percent.

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Step 2. Lime and fertilize according to soil
test recs.

• Get test for each field.
• Follow recommendations.
• Apply soybean inoculant for fields not planted to
  soybeans in the last three years.

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Step 3. Use appropriate tillage to get deep
rooted soybeans

• For Coastal Plain soils, use in-row sub-soiling.
• For conservation tillage, use strip tillage
  and/or traffic control to reduce soil compaction.

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Step 4. Use good cultural practices

• Plant between May 10 and June 10.
• Plant in row widths of 10 to 36 inches.
• Plant about 10 seed/ft. (36 rows)
• Plant seed 1.0 to 1.25 inches deep in moist soil.
• If irrigating, apply water
• i. During vegetative growth if leaf wilt occurs
  by mid-day.
• ii. During reproductive growth (R1-R5) to
  supplement rainfall so that soybeans receive 2.25
  3.0 inches of water weekly

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Step 5. Planting recommendations

• Plant a recommended soybean variety for your
  location and planting situation.
• Consider UGA Official Variety Trials.
• Consider soybean variety characteristics and
  field situation.
• Consider planting date.

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SOYBEAN VARIETY PERFORMANCE (2001-2006)(Average
Yield (bu/A) over Years by Maturity Groups)
1 Irrigated, 30 rows 2 Non-irrigated, 36 rows
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STEP 6. Control weeds

• In reduced tillage systems, do everything
  possible to obtain a weed-free seedbed at
  planting.
• Use a soil-applied residual herbicide.
• Apply postemergence herbicides when weeds are
  2-4 tall.
• Be on the lookout for glyphosate and
  ALS-resistant Palmer amaranth (pigweed).
• Refer to 2007 GA Soybean Production Guide of Pest
  Control Handbook.
• UGA Weed Science Website (www.gaweed.com)

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Confirmed ALS-Resistant Palmer amaranth locations
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Step 7 Control insects

• Velvetbean Caterpillarsapply Dimilin/Boron
  treatment at R3 growth stage.
• Stinkbugsscout and treat as needed.
• Lesser cornstalk borersscout and treat if 10 or
  more of stand is destroyed.
• Other foliage feedersscout and treat if
  populations exceed economic threshold levels (30
  defoliation prebloom, 15 post-bloom).

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Step 8. Control Asian Soybean Rust and other
foliage diseases

• Scout field bi-weekly prior to first bloom, and
  weekly after then to monitor for soybean foliage
  diseases.
• Pre-bloom, apply foliar fungicide if A. Rust is
  detected in your fields or very close by. (View
  UGA Soybean Website for current Rust status.
  Stay alert for local news).

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Step 8. Control Asian Soybean Rust and other
foliage diseases

• c. Post-bloom (R1-R6), apply foliage fungicide
  if A. Rust as detected in your region or local
  area (e. g. in UGA/USDA sentinel plots).
  Specific choice of a fungicide will be determined
  in part by confirmed proximity of disease to your
  field (See 2007 GA Soybean Production Guide for
  fungicide rec.).

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Step 9. Harvest soon after maturity

• Plan for harvest as soon as seed moisture dries
  to 13 percent or less.
• Adjust combine to match crop and field situation.

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Step 10. Use year round marketing strategy

• Know breakeven production costs.
• Know that best market prices usually dont occur
  at harvest time.
• Forward contract (up to half of estimated
  production ) to take advantage of favorable
  early season prices.
• Use put or call options as needed.

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Preliminary Comparison of 2007 ReturnsWhat Does
This Mean?
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For more information, see 2007 Georgia Soybean
Production Guide, or UGA Soybean
Website http//commodities.caes.uga.edu/fieldcrops
/soybeans or contact your local county Extension
Office Prepared by Glen Harris, Crop and Soil
Sciences Kerry Harrison, Biological AG
Engineering Robert Kemerait, Plant
Pathology Eric Prostko, Crop and Soil
Sciences Phillip Roberts, Entomology Paul
Sumner, Biological AG Engineering John Woodruff,
Crop and Soil Sciences