Fred Below and Jason Haegele Crop Physiology Laboratory Department of Crop Sciences University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 2013 Soybean Profitability Summit Bone Center, Bloomington, IL March 4, 2013
Quest for High Soybean Yields 9 billion people by 2050 requires a doubling of crop production, including soybean US average soybean yields are currently about about 42 bushels/acre
Corn & Soybean Yield Progress Yield (bu acre -1 ) 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Corn yield Soybean yield Corn: 1.98 bu acre -1 yr -1 (1950-2010) Soybean: 0.38 bu acre -1 yr -1 (1924-2010) 1860 1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020 Year
Quest for 85 Bushel Soybean 85 bushel soybean produced each year in state soybean yield contests World record soybean yield of 161 bushels
Quest for 85 Bushel Soybean Intelligent Intensification with the management factors that have the biggest impact on soybean yield each year The Six Secrets of Soybean Success
The Six Secrets of Soybean Success What Factors Have the Biggest Impact on Soybean Yield? Champaign, IL 2012
Crucial Prerequisites, but not Secrets of Success Drainage Weed Control Proper Soil ph
Not Secrets of Soybean Success, but Important to Overall Crop Productivity Corn yields 25 bu better when it follows soybean Soybean improves soil tilth compared to corn
Soybean Improves Soil Tilth
The Six Secrets of Soybean Success Rank 1 Factor Weather 2 3 4 5 6 Given key prerequisites
Extreme Drought in Illinois in 2012
The Six Secrets of Soybean Success Rank 1 2 Factor Weather Fertility 3 4 5 6 Given key prerequisites
Soybean Gets Some N from fixation by Nodules
Nutrient Uptake and Removal by 62 Bushel Soybean Crop Nutrient Required to Produce Removed with Grain Harvest Index lb acre -1 % N 271 194 72 P 2 O 5 50 39 78 K 2 O 180 75 42 Average of two varieties at DeKalb, IL 2012
Soybean Needs More N than it Can Fix N uptake or fixation (lb acre -1 ) 500 400 300 200 100 Total N uptake Biological N fixation 0 10 30 50 70 90 110 Yield (bu acre -1 ) Adapted from Salvagiotti et al. 2008. Field Crops Res. 108:1-13.
Nutrient Uptake and Removal by 62 bu Soybean vs 230 bu Corn Nutrient Required to Produce Removed with Grain Harvest Index Corn Soy Corn Soy Corn Soy lb acre -1 % N 256 271 148 194 58 72 P 2 O 5 101 50 80 39 79 78 K 2 O 180 180 56 75 32 42 Corn data from Agron J. 105:161-170 (2013); Soybean data from DeKalb, IL 2012
K Uptake & Partitioning for 62 Bushel Soybean K Uptake (lb K 2 O ac -1 ) 200 175 150 125 100 75 50 25 Grain Flowers, Pods Stem, Petioles Leaves 100 80 60 40 20 Percent of Total (%) 0 0 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 Days After Planting Planting V3 V7 R2 R4 R5 R6 R8 Average of 2 varieties at DeKalb, IL 2012 Growth Stage
P Uptake & Partitioning for 62 Bushel Soybean P Uptake (lb P 2 O 5 ac -1 ) 50 40 30 20 10 Grain Flowers, Pods Stem, Petioles Leaves 100 80 60 40 20 Percent of Total (%) 0 0 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 Days After Planting Planting V3 V7 R2 R4 R5 R6 R8 Average of 2 varieties at DeKalb, IL 2012 Growth Stage
The Six Secrets of Soybean Success Rank 1 2 3 Factor Weather Fertility Genetics/Variety 4 5 6 Given key prerequisites
All Soybean Varieties are Not Created Equal Variety Yield Variety Yield bu acre -1 bu acre -1 1 54.5 6 60.8 2 55.5 7 62.3 3 56.3 8 64.2 4 57.9 9 64.8 5 58.7 10 66.0 10 varieties with high-tech management at Champaign, IL 2012
The Six Secrets of Soybean Success Rank 1 2 3 4 Factor Weather Fertility Genetics/Variety Foliar Protection 5 6 Given key prerequisites
Soybean Yield Components Yield = Pod number/acre x Seeds per pod x Weight per seed
Effect of Increased Seed Weight on Yield Soybean yield (bu acre -1 ) 80 79 78 77 76 75 74 73 136 138 140 142 144 146 148 Calculated at 293 seeds ft -2 Seed weight (mg seed -1 )
The Six Secrets of Soybean Success Rank 1 2 3 4 5 Factor Weather Fertility Genetics/Variety Foliar Protection Seed Treatment 6 Given key prerequisites
Impact of Seed Treatment on Emergence Untreated Fungicide, Insecticide, nematicide Photos courtesy of AJ Woodyard, BASF
Impact of Seed Treatment on Soybean Growth Fungicide only R2 growth stage, Champaign, IL 2012 Fungicide, Insecticide, nematicide
Impact of Seed Treatment on Soybean Growth Plants at growth stage R2 at Champaign, IL 2012
The Six Secrets of Soybean Success Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 Factor Weather Fertility Genetics/Variety Foliar Protection Seed Treatment Row Arrangement Given key prerequisites
Row Spacing Affects Light Interception And Canopy Air Movement 30 Rows 20 Rows Champaign, IL 2012
Standard vs High Tech - Soybean Fertility Variety Foliar - protection P or K applied year before to corn 75 lbs P 2 O 5 as MESZ (N, P, S, & Zn) Banded 4-6 directly under row at planting Normal maturity grown in region Longest possible maturity for region No foliar protection Fungicide or Insecticide or Both Seed - treatment Untreated or fungicide only Fungicide, insecticide, nematicide Row - 30 inch row spacing arrangement 20 inch row spacing
Soybean Omission Plots 2012 6 plots at 4 sites with Two trials Champaign & Rushville Full vs normal maturity for region Banded fertility at planting Different company seed and foliar protection products: Syngenta or Monsanto/BASF Rushville DeKalb Champaign All in 30 inch vs 20 inch rows, at a seeding rate of 160,000 plants/acre Harrisburg
Soybean Omission Plot Design Decrease Technology Add Technology MANAGEMENT FACTORS Treatment Fertility Variety Foliar Seed treatment HIGH TECH Placed Full maturity Fungicide + Insecticide Full -Fertility None Full maturity Fungicide + Insecticide Full -Variety Placed Normal maturity Fungicide + Insecticide Full -Insecticide Placed Full maturity Fungicide only Full -Fungicide Placed Full maturity Insecticide only Full -Foliar protection Placed Full maturity None Full -Seed treatment Placed Full maturity Fungicide + Insecticide Basic TRADITIONAL None Normal maturity None Basic +Fertility Placed Normal maturity None Basic +Variety None Full maturity None Basic +Fungicide None Normal maturity Fungicide only Basic +Insecticide None Normal maturity Insecticide only Basic +Foliar protection None Normal maturity Fungicide + Insecticide Basic +Seed treatment None Normal maturity None Full Treatments evaluated in 20 and 30 inch row spacing
Row Spacing Affects Light Interception And Canopy Air Movement 30 Rows 20 Rows Champaign, IL 2012
Yield Increase from 20 Row Spacing Location Yield Increase bu acre -1 DeKalb +6.5* Champaign 1 +3.0* Rushville 1 +1.6* Harrisburg - 2.6* Average +2.1* *Significant P 0.05, Average of six trials in Illinois and of standard and high technology management. 1 Two trials at Champaign and Rushville
Soybean Omission Plot Design Decrease Technology Add Technology MANAGEMENT FACTORS Treatment Fertility Variety Foliar Seed treatment HIGH TECH Placed Full maturity Fungicide + Insecticide Full -Fertility None Full maturity Fungicide + Insecticide Full -Variety Placed Normal maturity Fungicide + Insecticide Full -Insecticide Placed Full maturity Fungicide only Full -Fungicide Placed Full maturity Insecticide only Full -Foliar protection Placed Full maturity None Full -Seed treatment Placed Full maturity Fungicide + Insecticide Basic TRADITIONAL None Normal maturity None Basic +Fertility Placed Normal maturity None Basic +Variety None Full maturity None Basic +Fungicide None Normal maturity Fungicide only Basic +Insecticide None Normal maturity Insecticide only Basic +Foliar protection None Normal maturity Fungicide + Insecticide Basic +Seed treatment None Normal maturity None Full Treatments evaluated in 20 and 30 inch row spacing
Soybean Yield Response to Management Location Standard HighTech bu acre -1 DeKalb 66.0 77.4 +11.4* Champaign 1 52.5 64.2 +11.7* Champaign 2 58.1 66.0 +7.9* Rushville 1 39.2 47.2 +8.0* Rushville 2 37.8 49.8 +12.0* Harrisburg 47.5 55.0 +7.5* * Significantly different at P 0.05. Average of 20 & 30 rows
Add One Enhanced Factor to Standard Management Standard System Add One Enhanced Factor Yield Standard Management 50.1 bu acre -1 +Fertility (extra N, P, S, Zn) 55.0 +4.9* +Variety (fullest maturity for region) 53.8 +3.7* +Fungicide (at R3 growth stage) 52.2 +2.1* +Insecticide (at R3 growth stage) 53.8 +3.7* +Fungicide and Insecticide 53.9 +3.8* +Seed treatment (at planting) 52.9 +2.8* *Significantly different from standard at P 0.05. Average of 6 trials in Illinois in 2012 and of 20 and 30 rows
Omit One Enhanced Factor from High Tech System High Tech System Omit One Enhanced Factor Yield High Tech all Six Factors 60.0 bu acre -1 -Fertility (fertility from previous corn) 56.3-3.7* -Variety (normal maturity for region) 57.1-2.9* -Fungicide (no fungicide) 57.2-2.8* -Insecticide (no insecticide) 57.7-2.3* -Fungicide and Insecticide 56.7-3.3* -Seed treatment (none or base) 57.6-2.4* *Significantly different from standard at P 0.05. Average of 6 trials in Illinois in 2012 and of 20 and 30 rows
2012 Soybean Omission Plots Average of Six Trials Standard High Tech Factor Yield Yield bu acre -1 None or All 50.1 60.0 Fertility 55.0 +4.9* 56.3-3.7* Variety 53.8 +3.7* 57.1-2.9* Fungicide 52.2 +2.1* 57.2-2.8* Insecticide 53.8 +3.7* 57.7-2.3* Fung. + Insect. 53.9 +3.8* 56.7-3.3* Seed treatment 52.9 +2.8* 57.6-2.4* * Significantly different at P 0.05. Average of 20 & 30 rows
Value of Each Soybean Yield Secret Soybean Yield Secret Yield bu acre -1 Fertility (extra N, P, S, Zn) 4.3 Variety (fullest maturity for region) 3.2 Foliar protection (fungicide & insecticide) Seed treatment (fungicide, insecticide, nematicide) 3.6 2.6 Row arrangement (20 inch) 2.1 Based on 2012 data
Conclusions Soybean yield can be increased with crop management Each of the six secrets of soybean can independently increase yield and when combined into a system they are partially additive
Acknowledgements Personnel Brad Bandy Tryston Beyrer Ross Bender Paulo Galvao Laura Gentry Jason Haegele Cole Hendrix Adam Henninger Brandon Litherland Jack Marshall Juliann Seebauer Kyle Vogelzang Financial Support BASF Dawn Equipment GrowMark Illinois Soybean Association Monsanto Mosaic Nachurs Netafilm Syngenta Valent BioSciences WinField Solutions
Very Special Thanks Illinois Soybean Association GrowMark For more information: Crop Physiology Laboratory at the University of Illinois http://cropphysiology.cropsci.illinois.edu