By CELESTE BAUMGARTNER
Ohio Correspondent

WALNUT, Ill. — Asgrow was the top soybean variety in a northern Illinois seed test, with two Kruger varieties close behind.

The test was conducted on Alan Dale’s Bureau County farm by Farmer’s Independent Research of Seed Technologies (F.I.R.S.T.).
Asgrow hybrid AG3030 had an average yield of 76.9 bushels per acre. The moisture content was 11.3 percent and the estimated gross income per acre was $769.

In a close second, Kruger K2-2802 yielded 76.6 bushels per acre, with an estimated gross income per acre of $766. Kruger K2-2502 came in third, with 76.4 bushels to the acre and an estimated gross income per acre of $764.

The soil on the field was silt loam. It was non-irrigated and moderately well drained. Valor, Roundup, Select and Cobra were applied on the no-till plot, which was planted to corn last year; Glyfos was applied.

The field was planted on May 10 at a rate of 170,000 seeds per acre. It was harvested on Oct. 1 at a rate of 91,900 seeds per acre.
Weather played a huge role at this location, said F.I.R.S.T. Manager Jason Beyers. Final stands of many varieties had considerably fewer than the original targeted seeding rate.

“Weather conditions directly following planting were cool and wet, causing germination and early season vigor to struggle,” Beyers said. “This location was no-till as well, which more than likely enhanced the cool, wet conditions because the fodder that covers the ground in these fields tends to keep the soils from receiving as much sunlight.

“Almost all of the varieties here at Walnut still had green stems, and some leaves left on the plant,” he said. “Lodging on some was severe. The plants had very large stems and extremely long internodes (a portion of the plant between nodes) but several plants had three bean pods per node.

“Plants ranged in height from 28 to 62 inches tall. Overall, this was a very nice plot with good yields.”