from Production Quarterly
The United Soybean Board

A checkoff-funded research program is providing “smart” solutions to help Southern soybean farmers maximize production efficiencies and improve their profit potential. The Mississippi Soybean Promotion Board provides funding for the SMART program (Soybean Management by Application of Research and Technology), which encourages farmers to implement proven production management practices and demonstrates how these practices can improve their profitability. One practice the SMART program recommends is planting soybeans early using lower maturity group varieties.

“By growing maturity group IV varieties and planting early, soybean farmers can take advantage of early season rains,” explains Alan Blaine, Ph.D., Mississippi State University and SMART project leader. “In the last decade, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in bushel-per-acre yields in Mississippi. The change many farmers in our state have made to earlier planting dates is one reason soybean farmers have been able to increase their yields.”

Blaine said that about 60 percent of soybean acreage in Mississippi has now shifted away from later planting dates. Some farmers are now planting as early as March. Additionally, Blaine explained that planting soybeans earlier acts as an avoidance mechanism for late-season diseases and insect problems. However, it does not eliminate these problems entirely.

“Planting earlier has significantly reduced the pressure farmers have experienced in the past from worms and late-season diseases,” said Blaine. “We’re seeing more problems with stinkbugs, but overall, our research suggests that planting earlier and growing group IV varieties still produce higher yields for Mississippi farmers.”

The SMART program was initiated in 1992 and allows soybean farmers the opportunity to view recommended production practices on their farm and other fields across the state. New technologies and research findings are moved through the SMART program into a full-scale production program that demonstrates to cooperating producers and others the value of new practices and/or products.

“Participating fields have become educational tools for other growers as new technologies are tested and research results are distributed statewide,” said Blaine. “Other factors contributing to recent yield increases in Mississippi are new higher-yielding varieties, improved irrigation timing and increased management during the growing season.”

Field recommendations are based on previous production problems, field scouting, soil sample results and concerns of cooperating producers. University specialists, researchers, county agricultural agents, and program coordinators in cooperation with producers, provide recommendations.

Now, in its 11th year, a total of 242 fields have been in the SMART program since its inception. These fields represented a wide range of soil types, soybean varieties, maturity groups, cropping systems, irrigation methods, and disease, insect and weed issues. The average yield for the state between 1992 and 2002 was 27.4 bushels per acre. The average yield for SMART program fields during this same period was 42.7 bushels per acre.

Copyright 2003 The United Soybean Board