Ray Mueller

Correspondent

MADISON – Nearly ideal growing conditions during the summer at most of the soybean variety performance trial plots produced some impressive yields for individual varieties and overall plot averages. The plots are overseen by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Extension Service.

A highlight at this year's plots occurred at Platteville, where 11 of the entries from 33 seed companies had per acre yields of at least 100 bushels, which is nearly twice the predicted average of 52.5 bushels per acre for Wisconsin's 2016 soybean crop. The plot average there was 91 bushels for glyphosate tolerant varieties and 83 bushels for the conventional and traited herbicide group.

Varieties Over 100 Bushels

Renk's RS246NR2 posted the top plot yield of 107 bushels per acre at Platteville. Following at 103 bushels were both Beck's 255R2 and 273R4, Munson's 8247R2Y and Titan Pro's TP-26R35.

Coming in at 101 bushels were Channel's 2402R2, Cornelius's CB24R82, and Dyna-Gro's 524RY87. At 100 bushels were Dairyland Seed's DSR-2330R2Y, Credenz's CZ2788RY and the Cornelius CB27X27. All 11 of those at 100 or more bushels were glyphosate tolerant.

In the conventional and traited herbicide group at Platteville, the Credenz lineup produced the top four yields. They were 98 bushels for 2915LL, 97 bushels for both 2810LL and 2601LL and 96 bushels for 2510LL. Tracy's 2626LL had a yield of 95 bushels.

Trial plot averages

At other sites, the plot averages for the glyphosate tolerant and conventional/traited herbicide groups were 86 bushels at Galesville; 82 bushels at Fond du Lac; 81 and 72 bushels at Arlington; 78 and 74 bushels at Hancock; 78 and 70 bushels at Chippewa Falls; 71 bushels at Marshfield; 65 bushels at Seymour; and 58 and 49 bushels (dry and irrigated) at Spooner. Where only one number was listed, the varieties were all in the glyphosate tolerant group.

The plots were planted between May 3 and 17. Due to a drought in southeast Wisconsin, the plot at East Troy was abandoned. Other notations about the yields were that white mold had an effect on the irrigated plots at Hancock and that sudden death syndrome struck at Seymour.

The entire report is available at www.coolbean.info/library/documents/2016_SoybeanVarietyPerformanceTrials.pfd.