WINDFALL, Ind. — Of 63 soybean seed varieties tested on a Tipton County farm by Farmers’ Independent Research of Seed Technologies (FIRST), the highest-yielding produced 58.8 bushels per acre.

LG Seeds’ product C3555R2 just barely eked out a lead over its three closest competitors. Ebberts variety 2324RR2 yielded 58.6 to come in second for yield, followed by Partners Brand PB 3415R2 at 58.4 and Seed Consultants’ SCS 9385RR for an even 58 bushels.

The top-placing LG Seeds variety earned a gross income of $582 per acre, and the other three seed products brought in $580, $578 and $574, respectively. The average yield of all 63 varieties in the trial on Steve Pierce’s farm in Windfall was 51.1 bushels, and their average gross income was $506 per acre.

Moisture varied for the top 30 varieties, hanging around the range of 12.3 percent to nearly 14. The plot was planted May 28, 2014, at a rate of 195,000 seeds per acre and harvested Oct. 26 at an average stand of 175,700 plants per acre for all varieties.

The ground was silty clay loam, well drained and non-irrigated, with moderately high P and K, fall-tilled. Its previous crop was corn treated with glyphosate.

FIRST Site Manager Rich Schleuning said plant heights varied at harvest from 34-44 inches tall. "Ponding shortened the crop and set back development," he explained.

"With this spring, conditions were tough for emergence and perfect for stand loss. Seed count ranged from none to three beans per pod, and bean size was variable; some stems were still green at harvest.

"A light infestation of white mold on plant tops and bean leaf beetle feeding were noted."