By ANN HINCH
Assistant Editor

EASTON, Ill. — With yields of nearly 50 percent above and beyond the national average last year, the top-producing variety grown on a northern Illinois soybean test plot did quite well despite widespread problems with iron deficiency chlorosis.

Scott Kammeyer and his father, Darrel, made part of their land available to Farmer’s Independent Research of Seed Technologies (F.I.R.S.T.) in 2009 to test 60 soybean varieties. Topping the list at 63.8 bushels per acre – nearly 20 above the USDA-estimated national average yield of 44 bushels – was the Diener 3261CR2 variety.

Coming in just behind that was the FS Seeds variety A09-29, with 61.5 bushels per acre. Rounding out the top three was Kruger variety K2-2901 at 60.7 bushels.

Those were the only three varieties exceeding 60 bushels per acre, but the rest of the top 30 varieties tested well above 56 bushels. Moisture for all 30 averaged around 13.4 percent, according to the report from Eric Beyers, the F.I.R.S.T. manager for the South Central Corn Belt.

He noted that the Kammeyers fought iron deficiency chlorosis last year on much of their soybean acreage. “It is spotty, and can really affect yields,” Scott Kammeyer explained.

Beyers added, “Although plant stands were very uniform, some rep-to-rep yield variability occurred at this site.”

He described the May 31 planting as done in twin rows spaced 8 inches apart on 30-inch centers. Around 140,000 plants were seeded per acre at that time, and were later harvested on Oct. 18 at 122,000 per acre.

Previously, corn was grown in the same soil, which Beyers wrote was Harpster-Selma silt loam, non-irrigated and moderately well-drained. Inputs included moderately high phosphorous and potassium, and cultivation of the soil was conventional with fall till.