Double Crop Soybeans: Is This Your Year?
As cereal crops move toward maturity, double crop soybeans are back in the conversation. At the very least you will have a cover crop, but a harvestable crop are often successful. If you need seed for double crop, or cover crop contact us. Here’s what you need to know to make it work.
Is Your Region a Good Fit?
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Success is most likely in >2,900 CHU regions, but an early summer harvest can open the door for shorter-season areas as well.
Planting Timing is Everything
- Plant as early as possible after harvest – yield potential drops off significantly with each day of delay.
- Target planting before July 20 for your best chance at success.
- Consider harvesting winter wheat slightly early at 19–22% moisture and drying to gain a few extra days.
Agronomic Tips for Success
- Seed deeper than normal – with warm soil temps, soybeans can go 2–3 inches deep and still germinate well. Plant into moisture.
- No-till helps retain soil moisture and reduces input costs.
- Choose herbicide-traited varieties for simple and affordable weed control.
- Plant in narrow rows (7.5″) and choose tall varieties to speed canopy closure. Yield is maximized when canopy closes by R1.
- Select a variety 1–2 RM (200–400 CHU) shorter than your normal adapted soybean. Syngenta research (2012–2013) found no yield advantage to longer-maturity varieties in double crop – and harvest moisture was significantly higher in later-maturing varieties.
- Increase seeding rates by 30–50% – target 200,000–300,000 seeds/acre depending on timing and CHU zone.
Set Realistic Expectations: Successful double crop soybean yields typically land in the 20–30 bu/acre range. It’s a great opportunity to generate additional revenue from the acre, but success is highly dependent on environmental conditions. Talk to your Jackson Seeds soybean rep to discuss opportunity and supply.
Additional Resources
Image Source:
https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/blogs/production-blog/blog-post/2016/06/24/double-beans
