ILSoyAdvisor Blog

You are investing a lot of money in the soybean seed you buy today and you expect the variety to yield in return. But to realize the yield you expect, you first have to the give each and every seed a fighting chance to emerge and produce a healthy seedling that will mature into a pod-bearing plant. And soil-borne pathogens are your nemesis.

When considering all the stresses that soybeans incur during the season it is remarkable how...

So you want to grow 100 bushel soybeans this year? Either you can get lucky or put together the right team.

Producing 100 bushel soybeans isn’t unheard of and it has been accomplished multiple times, but it takes some planning and the right weather to achieve it. In 2015, Dan Arkels from LaSalle County won ISA’s 100 bushel challenge with a verified yield of 103.9 bushels per acre. There were several other reports in Illinois last year...

The standard soybean planting depth has been about 1.5 inches for a long time now. But recent data published in the last couple of years show that soybeans can be planted deeper, and that is a benefit.

Last spring (2014) Jim Specht, retired professor at the University of Nebraska, released results from his three year study which showed that 1.75 inches was the optimal depth regardless of soil conditions, planting date, population or...

Hello, my name is Bill Orr. I am the owner of Agronomic Insights in Reddick, Illinois. Agronomic Insights is an independent crop consulting company that sells Pioneer seed, does GPS-based soil testing and crop scouting. I enjoy working with growers to solve problems and help them improve their production practices.

Soybeans seem to be unique because increasing yield hasn’t been as easy as it has been for corn. And it comes down to...