Search

 

Member Login

{{message}}

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

{{header}}

{{message}}

  • {{ error }}

MSPB's Soybean Management Practices Survey

OsbornBarr, MSPB’s communications contractor, recently (Oct.–Nov., 2015) commissioned a survey of Mississippi soybean producers to determine practices they use in producing a crop, and the sources they depend on for production information.

1,900 surveys were distributed by mail to Mississippi soybean producers, and 283 completed surveys were returned. This 14.9% participation rate is above normal for an external survey.

60.5% of respondents farm over 1000 acres. 43% of responding producers have over 1000 soybean acres; thus, 57% have under 1000 soybean acres. The highest percentage (23.8%) of respondents reported 501-1000 soybean acres. Nearly one-third (32.9%) of the respondents reported less than 500 acres of soybeans, while a little over one-quarter (26.7%) reported between 1000 and 2500 soybean acres.

General Crop Production

69% of responding producers rotate soybeans with another crop on an annual basis, and nearly two-thirds (64%) of those growers rotate with corn. Milo (17%) and rice (13.5%) are the next most rotated crops with soybeans.

44% of the respondents plant in rows that are less than 30 in. wide, while 21% plant in twin rows that are on 30- to 40-in. centers.

62% of respondents plant 121 to 140 thousand soybean seeds per acre, while 26% plant 141 to 160 thousand seeds per acre.

On a scale of 1 to 9 with 9 being most important, yield is the trait rated most important (8.23) by respondents when selecting a variety, with range of maturity groups (6.60) and specific soil type of a field to be planted to a variety (6.12) ranking as second and third most important.

96.5% of respondents viewed variety selection as the most important factor for increasing soybean yields, while soil sampling (80.1%), crop rotation (73.8%), and fungicide application (69.5%) were also viewed as significant factors to consider for yield increase.

Weed resistance was the most-listed soybean production issue or problem (101 respondents); the next most-listed issue was yield (46 respondents).

75% of responding growers always apply fungicides, insecticides, and herbicides at the full labeled rate.

Soil Factors

61% of the respondents always test soil for fertility at least every 3 years, and 59% collect soil fertility samples on most (76-100%) of their acres.

61% of the respondents know the amounts of nutrients removed from the soil by their soybean crop.

Over two-thirds (69%) of the respondents ensure adequate fertility on their soybean acres based on soil test results.

Irrigation

48% of the respondents do not irrigate soybeans.

Of those that irrigate, 42% use PHAUCET/Pipe Planner. However, much smaller percentages use surge valves (14%) and soil moisture sensors (31%).

A low percentage of irrigated producers know the amount of water they are using to irrigate most (81-100%) of their irrigated acreage as indicated by the low percentage (8%) who use water or flow meters. Conversely, 72% of the irrigators monitor their water use on less than 40% of their irrigated acres. However, irrigators consider amount of water used for irrigation as important (4.25 on a 1-5 scale, with 5 being very important).

Insect and Disease Factors

77% of the respondents check or scout fields for presence of major diseases on a weekly basis, and 83% check for insects on a weekly basis.

77% of the weekly scouting is always done by walking the fields.

50% of the respondents always use practices or make decisions that will manage diseases that are present.

51% of responding growers always apply a fungicide to their soybean crop.

59% of responding producers use a sweep net or drop cloth to make weekly checks for insect presence.

78% of producers always treat for insects when their numbers reach economic thresholds.

50% or more of the respondents use scouting results to plan (choose varieties, modify pest management plans) for next year’s crop.

Nematode Factors

22% of the respondents indicated they have nematodes in their fields, but regrettably, 41% do not know. Surprisingly, only 13% of the nematodes present are indicated as soybean cyst nematode (SCN), while over half are indicated as reniform and/or rootknot nematodes.

Weed Factors

90% of respondents use 2 or more modes of action when applying herbicides for weed control.

71% of growers use pre-plant or pre-emergence herbicides on more than 50% of their acres, and 61% use them on more than 75% of their acres.

Over two-thirds (67%) of responding producers who apply harvest aids or desiccants do so to enhance early harvest. 24% do not apply harvest aids to any of their soybean acres.

Production Recommendations

54% of survey responders use a crop consultant or advisor all or most of the time.

86% of producers who responded are comfortable or very comfortable with recommendations made by agricultural retailers.

Ag Retailers (74%), MSU-Extension (66.4%), Crop Consultants (63.6%), and Field Trials (63.3%) are significant sources of information used in making soybean production decisions.

Over half of the responders stated that they need more information on soil fertility (60%) and weed management (56%). Roughly one-third of the survey respondents indicated a need for more information on disease management (32%) and irrigation efficiency (35%).

General Conclusions

Producers were not asked what they consider the optimum planting date for soybean in Mississippi because it is now assumed that planting in early to late April is or should be viewed as optimum, and that late April to early May is or should be viewed as the optimum end date for planting.

44% of responding producers rotate soybean and corn on an annual basis.

About two-thirds of responding producers plant in rows that can be categorized as less than wide.

No respondents indicated they plant fewer than 100 thousand seeds per acre. It is worth noting that this may be a factor worth a research investment to support those producers who do not irrigate; i.e., there is potential for seeding fewer than 100 thousand seeds per acre if precision planting is used to plant high-quality seeds that have been treated to ensure an acceptable stand.

The number of producers who are aware of the amount of nutrients removed from the soil by a soybean crop should be increased through extension and industry education efforts.

These survey results indicate that an increased education effort about sampling soil for nematodes is warranted. This is especially true since the latest disease surveys indicate that SCN is the soybean pest responsible for the greatest yield loss in Midsouth soybean production systems.

The survey results indicate that outreach and education efforts must be increased to ensure that information about all irrigation management tools that can increase irrigation efficiency and enhance knowledge of crop water use by irrigated soybeans is available to and adopted by every irrigator.

The majority of producers use timely and accurate scouting and timely treatment to manage disease and insect pests in soybean.

The vast majority of respondents use economic thresholds to determine if and when to treat for insect infestations. This indicates that continued research is needed to ensure that threshold numbers are adequate and accurate for the various soybean production systems (e.g. irrigated vs. dryland, early-planted vs. late-planted/doublecropped, monocropped vs. rotated) in Mississippi.

Producers have obviously taken heed about the importance of weeds developing resistance to herbicides as indicated by the large majority of respondents who use more than one herbicide mode of action, pre-plant and pre-emergence herbicides, and the full labeled rate of herbicides. All of these factors are recommendations to prevent or delay herbicide resistance in weeds.

It is perceived from these results that the use of multiple modes of action in pesticide applications likely pertains mostly to herbicides. Producers must continually be reminded of the importance of this factor in the application of insecticides and fungicides as well.

It is obvious that Mississippi soybean producers have a high regard for the information provided and recommendations made by agricultural retailers in the state. Crop consultants/advisers also provide a valuable service to a majority of surveyed producers.

As with all surveys, this survey provides only a sampling of production practices and information sources used by Mississippi soybean producers. However, these results do provide a glimpse into what is being done to produce soybeans in the state, and can provide agricultural practitioners with a clue as to what needs more attention and increased education.

I personally thank each of you 283 respondents who took the time to complete and return the survey. Hopefully, through this blog and other summaries that will come from the survey results, you can see the value of the information you provided and how it can be used to provide insight into what Mississippi soybean producers are now doing or maybe should be doing to continue the trend of increasing soybean yields in the state.

Composed by Larry G. Heatherly, Dec. 2015, larryheatherly@bellsouth.net