INSIGHTS
- Variety selection had the biggest impact on yield.
- Foliar protection applied at the R3 growth stage was the management practice that most consistently increased soybean yield.
- Some locations had a significant response to the combination treatment but did not respond to individual management factors, suggesting a synergistic effect.
- Consider the local environment such as soil properties, yield potential and pest pressure when making a management plan.
Historical Improvements in Soybean Yield
Graph 1. Historical U.S average soybean grain yield.Over the past six decades, U.S. soybean grain yields have seen a remarkable upward trajectory. In 1960, farmers harvested an average of 24 bushels per acre; by 2020, this more than doubled to 51 bushels per acre (Graph 1). While genetic advancements in soybean varieties have been the primary driver of this historical yield increase, significant improvements in crop management practices have also played a crucial role.
Identifying the Management Practices with the Most Influence on Yield
Today's farmers have access to a diverse array of tools and techniques to optimize soybean production. The Golden Harvest Agronomy in Action team implemented a trial at 8 locations across the Midwest to identify which core, in-season management practices had the largest impact on yield in 2024. The trial was designed to assess the individual value of each management practice when added to a standard base program. In addition, all inputs were applied in conjunction to evaluate the potential to improve yield by combining multiple management factors. The list of treatments included:
Table 1. Variety groups planted at each location based on relative maturity (RM).- Base Program: Farmer’s normal fertility program with no additional inputs planted at 140,000 seeds/acre.
- Fertility: Planter-applied 2×2×2 placement of 7 lbs. N, 22 lbs. P2O5, 29 lbs. K2O, and 2 lbs. S per acre.
- Foliar Plant Growth Regulators (PGRs) and Micronutrients: Foliar-applied Ascend® SL (3.4 oz/acre) and MAX-IN® Ultra ZMB (2 qt/acre) at V4 and R3 growth stage.
- Foliar Protection: Foliar-applied Miravis® Neo (13.7 oz/acre) and Endigo® ZCX (4 oz/acre) at R3 growth stage.
- Combination: All treatments implemented together.
Six location-appropriate varieties were planted in each plot (Table 1).
Effect of Management on Yield
Base yield levels ranged from 57.0 Bu/A at Malta, IL, to 86.7 Bu/A at Clinton, IL (Table 2). There was no interaction between variety and response to management in any of the relative maturity groups, so all results are averaged across the six varieties at each location. On average across all locations and varieties, only the foliar protection and combination treatments had a significant impact on yield. Foliar protection increased yield by 2.2 Bu/A and combining all inputs increased yield by 1.3 Bu/A, suggesting the greater yield was likely driven by the foliar protection (Table 2).
Individual location response to foliar protection ranged from -0.6 to 5.9 Bu/A (Table 2). Three out of the eight locations had a significant response to the foliar protection including Bridgewater, SD (2.1 Bu/A), Grundy Center, IA (3.4 Bu/A), and Clay Center, KS (5.9 Bu/A). At Clinton, IL, Malta, IL, and Slater, IA, the highest yields were achieved with the combination treatment (Table 2). Interestingly, at Clinton, IL, and Malta, IL, adding the combination of all the inputs provided a greater yield increase than the sum of adding each treatment individually, suggesting there was a synergistic effect between the management practices at those locations. Soybeans grown at these locations likely set a higher yield potential early in the season from the planter-applied fertility, but required additional in-season management from PGRs, micronutrients, and foliar fungicide/insecticide to maintain that high yield potential.
Overall, there was no individual effect from fertility at the majority of locations (Table 2). Only at Clinton, IL and Grundy Center, IA was there a numerical yield increase greater than 1 bu/A when fertility was applied. Both locations had lower phosphorus (P) soil test values so the soybeans may have responded to the additional 22 lbs of P2O5 applied with the planter (Table 3). Surprisingly, Slater, IA, and Waterloo, NE, had low potassium (K) and P soil test values, respectively, but did not show a yield response to the fertilizer.
No location had a significant response to the foliar PGRs and micronutrients applications (Table 2). Only soybeans grown at Slater, IA, tended to have a positive response (1.1 bu/A) with the foliar application.
Table 2. Change in yield with each management factor compared to the base treatment averaged across six varieties at 8 locations in 2024.
Table 3. Soil test values for 8 locations across the Midwest in 2024.Variety Selection Matters
In this study, the factor that had the biggest impact on yield was not a crop management decision but rather what variety to plant. The range in yield between varieties within a maturity group was 5.6 bu/A for the early set, 11.2 bu/A for the mid set, and 5.9 bu/A for the late set (Graph 2). Selecting the highest yielding variety was more vital to yield than any yield potential gained from better crop management.
Graph 2. Variety yield within each relative maturity group averaged across all management factors and locations in 2024.Local Management Decisions
Figure 1. Varietal differences in senescence at Clinton, IL in 2024.While results varied by location, foliar protection emerged as the most consistent and beneficial management practice on average. Late-season plant health tended to be the most critical component in yield potential. At locations where the combination of management practices was the highest yielding treatment, it appears there was a synergistic effect where yields were greater than the additive of single treatments. Getting the soybeans off to a strong start and protecting plants throughout the season was needed to achieve the greatest yields.
The mixed results across locations from this trial highlight the importance of considering local conditions when preparing and implementing a crop management strategy for the season. Working with your local Golden Harvest sales representative and agronomist to select the best variety for your farm is the first step to a successful crop.
References
1USDA -National Agricultural Statistical Service (USDA-NASS). 2021. Soybeans. Grain Yield. United States, 1960 to date. USDA-NASS, Washington, DC.
All photos are either the property of Syngenta or are used with permission.
Product performance assumes disease presence.
© 2025 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some products may not be registered for sale or use in all states or counties. Please check with your local extension service to ensure registration status. AAtrex 4L, AAtrex Nine-O, Acuron, Agri-Flex, Agri-Mek 0.15 EC, Agri-Mek SC, Avicta 500FS, Avicta Complete Beans 500, Avicta Complete Corn 250, Avicta Duo Corn, Avicta Duo 250 Corn, Avicta Duo COT202, Avicta Duo Cotton, Besiege, Bicep II Magnum, Bicep II Magnum FC, Bicep Lite II Magnum, Callisto Xtra, Denim, Endigo ZC, Endigo ZCX, Epi-Mek 0.15EC, Expert, Force, Force 3G, Force CS, Force 6.5G, Force Evo, Gramoxone SL 2.0, Gramoxone SL 3.0, Karate, Karate with Zeon Technology, Lamcap, Lamcap II, Lamdec, Lexar EZ, Lumax EZ, Medal II ATZ, Minecto Pro, Proclaim, Voliam Xpress and Warrior II with Zeon Technology are Restricted Use Pesticides.
Some seed treatment offers are separately registered products applied to the seed as a combined slurry. Always read individual product labels and treater instructions before combining and applying component products. Orondis Gold may be sold as a formulated premix or as a combination of separately registered products: Orondis Gold 200 and Orondis Gold B.
No dicamba may be used in-crop with seed with Roundup Ready® Xtend Technology, unless and until approved or specifically permitted, and no dicamba formulations are currently registered for such use at the time this material was published. Please follow https://www.roundupreadyxtend.com /pages/xtendimax-updates.aspx for status updates. See product labels for details and tank mix partners. Golden Harvest® and NK® soybean varieties are protected under granted or pending U.S. variety patents and other intellectual property rights, regardless of the trait(s) within the seed. The Enlist E3® soybean, LibertyLink®, LibertyLink® GT27®, Roundup Ready 2 Xtend®, Roundup Ready 2 Yield® and XtendFlex® soybean traits may be protected under numerous United States patents. It is unlawful to save soybeans containing these traits for planting or transfer to others for use as a planting seed. NOT ALL formulations of dicamba, glyphosate or glufosinate are approved for in-crop use with products with XtendFlex® Technology. ONLY USE FORMULATIONS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY LABELED FOR SUCH USES AND APPROVED FOR SUCH USE IN THE STATE OF APPLICATION. Contact the U.S. EPA and your state pesticide regulatory agency with any questions about the approval status of dicamba herbicide products for in-crop use with products with XtendFlex® Technology. Only 2,4-D choline formulations with Colex-D® Technology are approved for use with Enlist E3® soybeans. ENLIST E3® soybean technology is jointly developed with Corteva Agriscience LLC and M.S. Technologies, L.L.C. The ENLIST trait and ENLIST Weed Control System are technologies owned and developed by Corteva Agriscience LLC. ENLIST® and ENLIST E3® are trademarks of Corteva Agriscience LLC. GT27® is a trademark of M.S. Technologies, L.L.C. and BASF. Roundup Ready 2 Xtend®, Roundup Ready 2 Yield® and XtendFlex® are registered trademarks used under license from the Bayer Group.
Trademarks are the property of their respective owners.