By CELESTE BAUMGARTNER
Ohio Correspondent

VIRDEN, Ill. — Asgrow varieties earned the three top spots in a soybean test in the south-central region of Illinois.

Roger Ladage’s Macoupin County farm was the site of the test, which was conducted by Farmer’s Independent Research of Seed Technologies (F.I.R.S.T.). Eric Beyers was the F.I.R.S.T. manager.

Asgrow AG3931 was the top performer, with an average yield of 63 bushels per acre and 7.6 percent moisture content. Its gross income per-acre was $699.80.
The number-two variety was Asgrow AG3830, with an average yield of 61.7 bushels per acre; moisture content for this variety was 7.2 percent and the gross income was $685.90.

In third place was AG3731, with an average yield of 60.4 bushels to the acre and a moisture content of 7 percent. Gross income was $671.60.
The planting date was May 28, 2010, with 140,000 seeds planted per acre. On Oct. 18, 139,400 plants per acre were harvested.

The soil was Virden silt loam. The field was non-irrigated and moderately drained. Conventional fall tillage was used. Fusion and Flexstar were applied, and the previous crop was corn.

“The farm was under a lot of weather stress,” Beyers said. “(Ladage) had a lot of rain in May and June. After that it shut off in the high heat in August.
“The harvested plants were very tall, 42 to 55 inches, so lodging was moderately high,” he added. “The lower three nodes aborted pod development due to flooding. Upper plant pod development suffered from high heat. Harvested seed ranged from 3,000 to 4,000 seeds per pound.
Seedling emergence was uniform with good singulation. Sudden death syndrome (SDS) pressure was slight.”

For more information, visit www.firstseedtests.com