AgriGold: Study shows the early planting yield advantage is real

AgriGold agronomist talks results and how to limit risk associated with early planting

″My hybrid and variety trials have generally shown the earlier corn or soybeans are planted, the higher their yield potential,″ says AgriGold Agronomist Ron Roling who is based in northeast Iowa. ″Early planting allows soybeans to capture more sunlight, claiming more of their yield potential. Extending the corn growing season enables plants to accumulate more growing degree units (GDUs).

″I would encourage everybody to start planting soybeans earlier,″ Roling continues. A corn hybrid’s response to early planting is more varied. Therefore, he says farmers who plan to plant early should choose hybrids with strong emergence scores.

Best practices when planting soybeans early

″My No. 1 rule on early planting of soybeans is to use a seed treatment,″ Roling says. ″In fact, I would not recommend planting soybeans early without one.″

Flag testing helps AgriGold agronomists score corn hybrids for strong emergence that makes them good candidates for early planting. 

His next caution is to make sure the ground is fit for planting. Soils shouldn’t be overly saturated, soil temperatures should be trending higher, and farmers should be sure planting won’t cause compaction, Roling details.

His third piece of advice on early soybean planting is, ″Don’t be afraid to back down populations on high-quality soils. In my opinion, we are still too high on our normal soybean populations.″ Roling and other researchers have had success with lower planting populations on productive soils. Higher populations are still needed for poorer-quality soils to ensure canopy coverage and minimize weed escapes.

Tips for early corn planting

Whereas most soybean varieties respond well to early planting, corn hybrids’ responses to early planting varies. To better gauge those differences, Roling tested one of AgriGold’s top-rated emergence products, one with moderate emergence characteristics and one with a slow emergence in 2022. He used flag testing to monitor emergence and followed those hybrids through the growing season.

Some hybrids respond well to early planting, while others do not. AgriGold agronomists use flag testing to make those distinctions.  

″Hybrids with high emergence scores performed well, but those with slower emergence sacrificed some yield with earlier planting,″ Roling explains. He emphasizes how important it is that farmers understand their hybrid selections and their emergence scores and how they fit with their planting intentions.

Roling also advises farmers to make sure soil conditions are fit for planting and soil temperatures are trending warmer. ″Avoid planting just before a cold rain,″ he adds. Failure to do so can lead to imbibitional chilling and reductions in stand establishment and seedling vigor.

Seed treatments and a starter fertilizer are also smart additions with early planting, according to Roling, who prefers in-furrow applications of the latter.

″I think farmers will continue to pursue early planting, especially on soybeans – for good reason,″ Roling says. ″Don’t hesitate to reach out to your local AgriGold agronomist for information about early planting and what hybrids and planting populations might best fit that mold.″