Soybeans should not be a forgotten crop this year, not with market prices shooting above $12 per bushel in the first quarter of 2008. By paying a little more attention to managing no-till soybeans, you can really reap the rewards, a veteran crop consultant told attendees at the 16th annual National No-Tillage Conference in January.

Having worked with no-tilled soybeans for three decades, Mike Dailey of Mount Vernon, Ohio, outlines a number of things you can do to make your soybean production more profitable.

“No-till beans are a system, and you can’t leave out partial steps and expect those beans to be profitable,” Dailey says.

Seed Selection

There are several considerations, including whether you plant genetically modified soybeans or conventional, or even a food-grade, low-linolenic variety. If soybean cyst nematodes, Phytophthora or brown stem rot are problems, choose varieties that offer protection.

Also, match tall beans to upland areas of fields, yet select shorter beans in lowland areas to avoid lodging. Select varieties for moisture levels. Tiled fields allow earlier planting versus saturated fields.

Protect Seed

“Seed treatments are economically sound every time,” Dailey says. “I can’t think of a time when they aren’t sound.”

For example, Ohio State University (OSU) research shows that growers are sacrificing 5 to 8 bushels per acre if not using a seed-applied fungicide.

Even if you see no evidence of disease, OSU research shows yield increases of 1.6 bushels per acre. Even that can net a return of two to three times the investment.

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