• By Trent Irby •
Variety selection can be considered to be one of the most important management decisions for the season. Factors such as soil texture, planting date, irrigation capabilities, row spacing, harvest capacity, among others, will influence the decision of selecting an appropriate variety.
There are many excellent varieties to choose from that represent different herbicide trait platforms. Here is the 2020 variety suggestions list. It is intended to serve as an additional information source for varieties that have demonstrated the ability to perform across a range of production systems and environments.
These suggestions are composed of varieties selected based upon overall consistency and performance in Mississippi Soybean Official Variety Trials. Consult other sources such as variety trial or demonstration program results and disease rating publications for more detailed information regarding variety performance.
It is important to spread out risks associated with soybean production by selecting multiple varieties for a given operation. No variety is perfect. Therefore risks can be minimized by choosing several varieties that have a potential fit for your needs.
Keep in mind that an excellent source of information on varieties is your own past experience with variety performance on your farm. In addition, if you are selecting new varieties or some that you have not planted in the past, plant these on a smaller scale to evaluate their fit for your operation.
View the complete “2019 MSU Extension Soybean Variety Demonstration Program” results at http://mississippi-crops.com.
Dr. Trent Irby is Mississippi State University Extension soybean specialist. He may be reached at trent.irby@msstate.edu.