Volume 14, Issue 7 - October 2024

David Moseley, Davis, Jeff A.

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LSU AgCenter Conducts Soybean Variety Trials and On-farm Demonstration Plots

David Moseley, LSU AgCenter Soybean Specialist

Article Highlights:

  • It is important for a producer to consider how varieties perform in an environment similar to their own and in multiple environments.
  • The LSU AgCenter conducts an Official Variety Trial (OVT) and Core-block demonstration plots (on-farm strip trials) to provide unbiased data to assist in variety selection.
  • The LSU AgCenter also conducted other on-farm demonstrations including variety evaluations (conventional and nematode resistance), fertilizer applications, a cereal rye cover crop biomass trial, and a deer repellent trial.

Selecting the most adapted and high yielding varieties is one of the most important decisions a soybean producer makes every year. The LSU AgCenter conducts an Official Variety Trial (OVT) and Core-block demonstration plots to provide unbiased data to assist in variety selection. The OVT and core-block demonstrations are planted throughout the state to collect performance data in different environments. It is important for a producer to consider how varieties perform in an environment similar to their own and in multiple environments. Varieties that perform consistently well across multiple environments and years could be considered to have more performance stability.

Official Variety Trial

The 2024 OVT includes varieties with maturity groups ranging from 3.9 – 5.7. The maturity groups are divided into sections including 3.9-4.4; 4.5-4.7; 4.8-4.9; 5.0-5.3; and 5.4-5.7, and there were 14, 28, 27, 12, and 10 varieties submitted to the maturity group sections, respectively, by 11 seed companies and two soybean breeding programs. The varieties consist of several different herbicide technologies. The trial was replicated at six research stations across the state in different soil types including fine sandy loam, silt loam, and silty clay. At each location, the varieties were replicated four times.

On-farm Core-block Demonstration Plots

In addition to the OVT, the LSU AgCenter collaborates with soybean producers to evaluate soybean varieties directly on farms. For the core-block demonstration program, the LSU AgCenter parish agents cooperate with producers to plant, maintain, and harvest strip trials submitted by seed companies and university soybean breeding programs. These demonstrations provide valuable yield data from local growing conditions and agronomic practices.

In 2024, six seed companies submitted varieties to be evaluated in the core-block demonstrations. Twenty-five demonstrations were planted across 13 parishes. The demonstrations were divided by maturity group (MG). A demonstration consisted of varieties with a MG of 4.1 to 4.4; 4.5 to 4.9; or 5.0 to 5.5. The number of varieties submitted for each MG were six (MG 4.1 to 4.4), eleven (MG 4.5 to 4.9) and six (MG 5.0 to 5.5).

Nematode resistance demonstrations were conducted again in 2024. A total of eleven varieties from three seed companies were entered into the nematode resistance screening trial. Among the varieties, ten were entered as resistant varieties and one was entered as a susceptible variety. The nematode resistant demonstrations were planted in three parishes (St. Landry, Bossier, and Franklin) in fields known to have nematode pressure. Along with yield, nematode assays were taken near the R8 (mature) growth stage. To complement this trial, Dr. Tristan Watson (LSU AgCenter Nematologist) also conducted greenhouse trials to determine the level of resistance for each variety.

Conventional soybean variety demonstrations were conducted in Bossier parish. The University of Arkansas and a seed company entered a total of three conventional varieties. For comparison, a glyphosate and dicamba commercial check was included in the demonstrations. Data from these demonstrations will help farmers who produce soybean in herbicide restricted habitats and who are looking for a potential premium from conventional soybean varieties.

On-farm fertility trials were also conducted in 2024. Trials were designed to find effective solutions according to the soil test results.

An on-farm sulfur, manganese, and micronutrient trial was conducted in Beauregard parish. Granular sulfur and manganese treatments at planting and foliar treatments at the V3 and R2 growth stages were compared to a control.

An on-farm phosphorus, sulfur, manganese, zinc, and micronutrient trial was conducted in Catahoula parish. The trial covered a total of approximately 80 acres. There were 12 treatments with different fertilizer formulations, rates, and timing applied. Follow-up trials on the farm will be to examine different fertilizer rates and application timings for a better understanding of the most economical fertilizer program.

A nation-wide cereal rye cover crop and soybean on-farm trial was conducted in 2024. The purpose of this trial was to validate a model that helps explain the benefits of cereal rye cover crop on soybean yield.

An on-farm deer repellent trial was also conducted in 2024. The trial consisted of three treatments including two repellents and a control. One repellent was considered a taste deterrent and the other was considered to create a fear response in the deer. The on-farm trial was conducted in Franklin parish. Initial data suggested there was some evidence the two treatments reduced the number of plants damage, but additional trials are needed before recommendations can be made.

The parishes in which the soybean core-block demonstrations were located in 2024 are indicated in figure 1.

Variety Testing and On-farm Demonstration Results

The performance data from the soybean OVT and on-farm demonstrations will be published by the LSU AgCenter in the annual soybean variety testing summary. Maturity date, height, lodging and disease reaction information from the OVT will also be included. The 2024 OVT results will be published following harvest to assist with 2025 variety selections and planting decisions. The variety publication for the 2023 growing season can be found at 2024 Soybean Variety Yields and Production Practices

More information on LSU AgCenter variety testing can be found in the Louisiana Agriculture Magazine Vol. 64, No. 1, Winter 2021.

2024 LSU AgCenter core block locations which were planted across Louisiana.

Figure 1: 2024 LSU AgCenter soybean core-block locations

LSU AgCenter Video: Destroy Unharvested Soybean Plants for Increased Stingbug Control

Jeff Davis, LSU AgCenter Entomologist

Watch this video for information on increased control of stinkbugs in the case of unharvested soybean plants.

LSU AgCenter Specialists

Specialty Crop Responsibilities Name Phone
Soybeans Agronomic David Moseley 318-473-6520
Wheat Agronomic Boyd Padgett 318-614-4354
Pathology Cotton, grain sorghum, soybeans Boyd Padgett 318-614-4354
Pathology Corn, cotton, grain sorghum, soybeans, wheat Trey Price 318-235-9805
Entomology Corn, cotton, grain sorghum, soybeans, wheat James Villegas
225-266-3805
Weed science Corn, cotton, grain sorghum, soybeans Daniel Stephenson 318-308-7225
Nematodes Agronomic Tristan Watson 225-578-1464
Irrigation Corn, cotton, grain sorghum, soybeans Stacia Davis Conger 904-891-1103
Ag economics Cotton, feed grains, soybeans Kurt Guidry 225-578-3282
Soil fertility Corn, cotton, grain sorghum, soybeans Rasel Parvej 318-435-2908
Corn, Cotton, and Grain Sorghum Agronomic
Shelly Pate Kerns 318-435-2908
Entomology Field Crops Dawson Kerns

10/16/2024 6:05:55 PM
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