By TIM THORNBERRY
Kentucky Correspondent

LEXINGTON, Ky. — It may be the middle of winter, but farmers are well into their plans for spring planting, with the big decision for grain growers: corn or soybeans?

If prices hold, soybeans may get the nod, considering lower input costs, coupled with high world demand – but are Kentucky producers getting the top yields from their crop? In times of slim profit margins it is more important than ever to make sure those yields are the best they can be, and officials at the University of Kentucky (UK) College of Agriculture are determined to help.
Information from the Kentucky Agricultural Statistics and Annual Report for 2006-07 indicates that while state producers pick high yielding varieties, they don’t always pick the best. The report showed the most widely planted variety in 2007 produced an average of 5.4 bushels less than the best yielding variety in 2005-07. That equates to $50 less an acre if a producer sells a bushel of soybeans at $9.

To help counter this problem, UK conducts annual Kentucky Soybean Performance Tests that include yield data on many of the top-selling varieties of soybeans grown in several locations across the state. Still, there are many reasons why producers may pick other varieties said Chad Lee, a UK grain crops extension specialist.

“There are several reasons producers don’t always pick the highest yielding varieties. Sometimes it may be due to their good relationship with a seed salesman, maybe some brand loyalty which goes back to the people that supported them,” said Lee. “A farmer may say he’s looked at our data, but the information from a company about their varieties say they will yield more. Producers may also have an issue with getting a particular variety from a seed company.”

While all valid, he said it is “key” to get back to basics, where production is concerned.

“We are in a time when it is most important to get the highest yields due to slim profit margins. Choices right now are important, and there are lots of different options. That’s why we are here,” Lee said. “We try to provide all of that information to growers. It’s important to test soil, plant in a timely fashion and choose a good plant variety. Also, growers should know the proper seeding rates to get the biggest bang for their bucks.”

He noted if producers are overseeding, knowing the proper seeding rates could help them save money without sacrificing yield.
Knowing the germination rate of their seed and the expected stand loss is critical to getting the best yields possible. Those stand losses depend on a variety of reasons, especially field and weather conditions.

Lee emphasized that the data accumulated by UK is a valuable tool in making good decisions for optimum plant yields. “Farmers are looking for data to predict next year’s performances, and the best way to do this is to look at a variety’s yield data over several years, that is grown in several different locations,” he said. “The variety trials are non-biased and evaluate numerous varieties across the state, making it easier for farmers to compare one variety to another.”

Another habit of growers has been feeling that having more is better than not having enough, especially when it comes to protecting against pests and fertilizer levels.

“In some cases a producer will pick a variety that they don’t really need – for instance, we have little problem here with rootworms in corn, but some varieties are resistant to root worms and may cost more,” Lee said. “Some farmers plant by the idea that a little extra protection won’t hurt. While it may not affect their yields, in some cases they are spending more to use something they don’t really need.”

When it comes to fertilizer, too much can cut into the bottom line. “Aside from zinc, if it’s a foliar fertilizer, (producers) are probably spending more money than they have to. While it won’t hurt their yields, it won’t help their bottom line,” he said.

Foliar fertilizer is generally used to add micronutrients – nutrients the plant requires in very small amounts for proper development, according to information from UK. However, foliar fertilizer in research tests conducted on crops not exhibiting signs of nutrient deficiency have not been shown to improve yields, said Greg Schwab, UK soil management specialist.

In addition, it is not uncommon to see a reduction in yields where the plant was burned as a result of the application. Again, getting back to fundamentals such as checking the soil is a simple way to save money. Fertilizers containing many different nutrients are expensive and are not appropriate to apply in random fashion, Schwab said.

“In Kentucky we are fortunate that the soil adequately supplies micronutrients, so long as the soil pH is in the appropriate range for the crop,” he added.

For more information on the Kentucky Soybean Performance Tests and the Kentucky Corn Hybrid Performance Test, visit www.uky.edu/Ag/GrainCrops

Also, a table containing several seeding rate calculations can be found in the “UK Corn and Soybean Newsletter” for December on the same website.