Abstract
Agronomic Optimal Plant Density by Yield Environment in Soybean
Highlights
Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr] production costs in the United States increased approximately 50% over the past decade, with seed cost representing roughly 37% of the total production costs
The main outcomes for this study were: 1) agronomic optimal plant density (AOPD) decreased by 24% from LYE (127,000 plants/a) to HYE (97,000 plants/a); 2) greater AOPD in a LYE was not related to a low plant survival rate; and 3) cumulative precipitation during soybean reproductive growth period was 39% lower in LYE compared with MYE and HYE, possibly reducing its reproductive ability
This study presents the first attempt to investigate the seed yield-to-plant density relationship via understanding final plant establishment and by exploring the influence of weather defining soybean yield environment (YE) in North America
Summary
Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr] production costs in the United States increased approximately 50% over the past decade, with seed cost representing roughly 37% of the total production costs. Seed price increased approximately 46% due to biotechnology advancements. Defining the agronomic optimal plant density (AOPD) for soybean is a critical decision for producers to optimize return on investment. The AOPD is defined as the minimum number of plants (in a per-unit-area basis) required to maximize yield. Soybean plant density levels above the AOPD increase the risk of lodging and disease development without adding a yield benefit, reinforcing the need for defining the AOPD for this crop. Soybean seed yield response to plant density has not shown consistent results. Recent studies proposed classifying each study in a yield environment (YE) based on its average
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