Episode 4 of 21: Driving soybean yield

In this podcast episode of ‘We’ve Bean around the Block’ host Antony Jarvie and guest Grant Pringle analyze the factors that are driving soybean yields. Grant, who is a repeat guest to the show, is a product agronomist with Pannar Seed who has his finger on the pulse of the soybean grain production. In this episode, Grant gives examples of the massive yields that are being recorded this season, which leads to discussion on the factors driving these yields. The effect of the wet season is considered, before using the top yield rather than the mean yield as a measure of progress. The example of using a top yield 40 years ago compared to this season shows that the progress has been roughly 4 t/ha or 100kg/ha per year for the forty-year period. Factors which have changed in these forty years that could have contributed towards this progress are discussed. The effects of weed control, crop rotation, reduced tillage, cultivar, fertilization and the use of precision equipment are discussed. The parting discussion is on raising the South African National yield average. The ideal tool to start attacking this average is the yield monitor widely found within modern combine harvesters. This precision-agriculture tool allows producers to pin-point low yielding areas within a field and to develop strategies to remedy them.