Intensive Management: An Option to Increase Double-Crop Soybean Yields?

The goal of this research is to identify intensive management practices of the double crop wheat and soybeans system of Kentucky, that will increase yield and profitability for Kentucky farmers. We will specifically be looking at soybean planting timings and intensive management inputs that work best for the growing environment in the Kentucky and the Ohio River valley region. The United Soybean Board funded a national research project to evaluate the effectiveness of various inputs on full-season soybean yields and profitability. The initial project (2009-2011), evaluated seed treatments, inoculants, soil applied fertilizers, foliar fertilizers, foliar fungicides, row spacing, and seeding rates. This USB study found that the treatment with all of the inputs and at narrow row spacing had the highest yield compared to the untreated control. However, this management program was not profitable because the cost of the additional inputs was approximately $200 per acre. This study was preformed using full season soybeans1. Double crop soybeans have their own unique requirements, they are grown in a more stressful environment where they have a shorter growing period, which usually includes high temperatures and low water availability during pollination and seed fill. Currently there are very few studies examining inputs of double crop soybeans. The proposed study will be identifying intensive management programs that work well within a double crop soybean setting to increase yield and profitability for Kentucky soybean producers.