Seed Selection Success

Know what pests plague your fields first

Seed selection is one of the most expensive and critical decisions you make on your farm each year. As companies introduce new varieties and discontinue others, it can be difficult to determine which ones are right for your fields.

Getting the best yield overall often means looking beyond simply the top-yielding varieties, and instead considering what might be reducing yields in each of your fields. If those high-yielding varieties don’t address some of the common ailments you are facing on a field-by-field basis, chances are you won’t see the same high-yield results on your own farm.

“It’s important to consider the yield-limiting factors on a field-by-field basis,” says Laura Lindsey, assistant professor of soybean and small grain production at Ohio State University. “For example, farmers in northwest Ohio have to deal with heavy clay soils that are poorly drained.  Soybean seedling diseases, such as Phytophthora, can be yield-limiting in these situations and selecting a variety with genetic resistance is important.”