Staging Soybean Development

Farmers are interested in maximizing returns on investment in their farming operations.One management strategy available to farmers is selection of planting date.Interest in early planting of soybeans (Glycine max L.) has necessitated research into the effects of early sowing upon seed number and size development, and the composition of the harvested seeds.The objective of this research was to determine how planting date affected the capacity for seed formation and deposition of seed reserves.Three locally adapted varieties varying in seed size and protein percentage were planted on three dates from late April to early June to assess the interaction between genetically determined seed characteristics and environmental conditions during seed formation and development.Yield data for two years indicate plant seed number and yield response to earlier planting are determined primarily by genotype.Oil and protein content of the seed was determined primarily by plant genetics, but early planting decreased protein content and increased oil content.Planting in mid May maximized protein content in both years.Oil content tended to decrease as planting date was delayed from April to June in 2001, but plants sown in June 2000 were exposed to unusually hot and dry weather conditions during the seed fill which accelerated reproductive development and decreased protein content significantly.These results indicate that early planting of soybean can be advantageous for maximizing yield.Planting after mid May can result in decreases in seed numbers and unpredictable changes in seed composition.

10.31274/rtd-20200803-116

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Proceedings of the 13th Australian Agronomy Confernce : Ground-breaking stuff : Special Issue Field Crops Research

Neil C. Turner TL Acuna

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