Early season, The Bean Report

The Bean Report – May 12, 2021

May 12, 2021

Listen to The Bean Report:

Seeding Update

  • Dry conditions persist across much of the province and temperatures are warming. Weekend forecasts are calling for rain in some regions.
  • Peas and faba beans have mostly been seeded and are starting to emerge. Soybean seeding has begun in several areas.
  • Check out Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development’s weekly region-specific crop reports and weather reports.
Peas germinating and emerging near Warren on May 7, 2021.
Peas germinating and emerging near Neepawa on May 7, 2021.

Soybean Seeding Recommendations

  • The optimal time to plant soybeans is…
    • Flexible throughout the month of May. Research from the Pulse and Soybean Agronomy Lab has shown soybean yields to be statistically similar when planted from April 28 to May 24.
    • During the 2nd to 3rd weeks in May. From the same study, relative yield was maximized when soybeans were seeded between May 8 to 14. This timeframe also coincides with less risk from spring frost and less risk from cold soil temperature.
    • Within two weeks of the last expected spring frost at your location to ensure they emerge into a frost-free environment. Frost is the biggest early-season threat to soybeans.

  • Target 140-160,000 live plants/ac. Use the Bean App Seeding Rate Calculator to determine your most economical seeding rate.
  • The optimal seeding depth range is 0.75 to 1.75 inches, no shallower and no deeper, regardless of soil moisture conditions. This is validated by recent Manitoba-based research.

  • Double inoculate first-time soybean fields. Single inoculate if the field has a history of soybeans, if previous crops have nodulated well and if the most recent soybean crop was within the past four years.
  • The maximum safe rate of seed-placed phosphorus is 20 lbs P2O5/ac in narrow rows with good soil moisture and 10 lbs P2O5/ac in wide rows.
  • Only utilize seed treatment if you expect significant pressure from early-season insects and disease. According to the On-Farm Network trials (2015-2020), we have seen 5/44 site-years (11%) with positive yield responses to seed treatment.

Applying the 5% Rule to Soybean Production

A 5% increase in yield, 5% decrease in costs and 5% increase in price = 15% increase in net returns (Danny Klinefelter, Texas A&M University)

Summarizing the soybean agronomic research in Manitoba and yield responses from different practices, soybean production practices can be fine-tuned to increase net return. Read the article for more details.

Post-Emergent Herbicide Options for Field Peas and Faba Beans

On-Farm Network: *New for 2021* Pea Seeding Rate Trials

Pea seeding rate trials are a new addition to the On-Farm Network lineup for 2021. We recommend a target plant stand of 80-90 plants/m2 (8-9 plants/ft2), but plant stand assessments from our pea fungicide trials over the last couple of years suggest stands may be consistently lower than this recommendation. The average plant stand across the 2019 and 2020 pea fungicide trials (15 trials in total) is about 50 plants/m2 (5 plants/ft2). This discrepancy between the recommendation and field reality led us to question the effect of seeding rate on pea crop competitiveness, standability, disease pressure and yield.

There will be several pea seeding rate trials this season, testing a range of seeding rates which will be specific to each farmers variety of choice and normal farm practice. We are excited to see what we learn!

Production Resource Quick Links:

Soybeans

Field Peas

Dry Beans

Faba Beans