Crop Planning

These resources answer common questions when planning for soybean planting. To view the recording of our national webinar on planting considerations where we discuss soybean planting considerations and focus on topics including soybean planting date, row spacing, and seeding rates, click here: Science for Success: Planting Considerations’ Webinar

Row Spacing

Soybean producers across the US use row spacing from 7 to 40 inches; row spacing decisions are often largely controlled by equipment availability and rotational complexity.

This factsheet provides information on Best Management Practices for soybean row spacing as well as considerations for specific regions of the US. How to Pick the Right Soybean Spacing.

In this video, Dr. Rachel Vann highlights important points on soybean row spacing.

Seeding Rates & Population

Soybean seed costs are about 40% of the variable costs in soybean production, and optimizing seeding rate will help to produce high yields without overspending on variable costs. Generally, soybeans require higher seeding rates and more plants per acre in the Northern United States and in later-planted fields across the US. Soybean typically requires fewer plants and lower seeding rates for much of the Midwestern and Southern US when timely planting occurs. The following resources provide research-based information that will help you identify optimal seeding rates for your operation.

Science for Success: Soybean Plant Population Density Factsheet 

Planting Date

Timely soybean planting is just as critical for attaining high soybean yields as it is for other crops such as corn and wheat as it allows for soybean to maximize light interception, achieve higher crop growth rate, increased node number, and lengthen the seed filling period. The following resources will help you identify best times to plant your crop so that you can be ready when conditions are favorable.

The Best Soybean Planting Date