Last week in Georgia, farmers wanted to see firsthand what was being touted as 100-bushel-per-acre soybeans at a field day championing the quest for such high soybean yields in the Deep South.

The field day was spearheaded by Eddie McGriff, agronomist with Southern States. McGriff partnered with John Woodruff, retired University of Georgia Cooperative Extension soybean specialist. They approached Brooks County, Ga., farmer Randy Dowdy with the idea or the challenge of conducting a 60-acre research trail on Dowdy’s farm using a dozen different varieties on four- to five-acre plots in an effort to produce 100-bushel soybeans, or better, using an early, or ultra early, soybean production system.

Why Dowdy? Dowdy has an established reputation as a national and state yield champion in corn and for his dogged management approach to his crops. The research trial is Dowdy’s first irrigated soybeans.

Dan Poston, retired Mississippi soybean specialist, conducted a yield estimate on the research the week before the field day. The yield estimates were between 81 and 117 bushels per acre. “Now we just need to see if we can get that through the combine,” said McGriff.

(Editor’s note: More information available in caption at upper right of each photo in gallery.)