Enhancing Manitoba Soybean Yield and Quality under Sub-Optimal Conditions

Crop Soybean
Start Date2014
End Date2018
Principal InvestigatorMohr, Ramona, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
MPSG Financial Support$88,349
Total Project Funding$176,698
ReportFinal Extension Report – 2017 | 5_Soybean Performance Under Different Moisture Regimes

Research Objectives

  1. Determine the relative tolerance of soybean cultivars to soil moisture extremes (Study 1)
  2. Determine the effect on crop productivity of growing cultivars that are better-adapted to variable moisture conditions within a field (Study 2)

Project Description

Crop cultivars are typically developed and selected under optimal growing conditions that do not reflect the variable and often less-than-ideal conditions that may be found in large-scale commercial fields. Planting better-adapted cultivars in select fields, or in select parts of a single field, is possible with current technologies. For this approach to be successful, basic information is needed regarding the performance of Manitoba soybean cultivars under a range of soil moisture conditions which can vary significantly among and within fields in Manitoba.

Study 1 was initiated in 2014 at Portage la Prairie MB, and will continue until 2016 at Portage la Prairie and Carberry, MB. A factorial combination of three moisture regimes (reduced, rainfed, excess) and seven soybean cultivars was arranged in a split-plot design with four replications. Cultivars in this study were selected based on root rot data from ongoing studies so that the cultivars grown varied in their susceptibility to root rot. Preliminary results suggested increased root rot severity in some cultivars when exposed to moisture extremes and some variability in the yield response of cultivars to excess and reduced moisture. Study 2 will be conducted in 2016 and 2017 in two producer fields. Two to three different cultivars will be planted in four replicated strips. Two soil moisture environments (upper and lower slope position) will be sampled in each strip.