Planting Date Effect on Soybean Reproductive Duration

Objectives

  • Evaluate the effect of planting date on the number of days required to reach the R1 growth stage (beginning flowering) and days from R1 to R6 (full seed) growth stage among different soybean maturity groups.
  • Compare days to Growing Degree Unit (GDU) accumulation at reproductive stages of soybean growth among different planting dates.
Reproductive growth stage of a soybean plant.
Reproductive growth stage of a soybean plant.

Study Description

  • Six locations in southern Pennsylvania, including 1 double-crop location.
  • Each location had a different planting date, ranging from mid-April to early July and was evaluated twice per week from R1 to R6 soybean growth stage.
  • Results were divided into 2 maturity groups:
    Late II to Mid III
    Mid III to Mid IV

Results

  • Days required to reach R1 and R1 to R6 declined as planting was delayed for both soybean maturity groups (Table 1 and Table 2).
  • Variation among planting dates in GDU accumulation from planting to R1 was greater for later maturity varieties (219) than for earlier maturity varieties (102).
  • Planting date had an impact on the duration of reproductive growth (R1 to R6) and GDU accumulation during this time period. Duration and GDU accumulation both declined with later planting.
  • Results of this trial suggest that, although GDU accumulation from planting to R1 was relatively stable among planting dates, there is opportunity to increase the duration of reproductive growth from the R1 to R6 stage and capture more GDUs with earlier planting.

    Table 1. Duration and GDU accumulation of vegetative and reproductive growth for soybean maturity Late II to Mid III.

    LocationPlanting DateDays to R1GDUs to R1Days R1 to R6GDUs R1 to R6
    14/15/1550768521,198
    25/4/1541805451,032
    35/9/154082138859
    45/11/154186137836
    56/11/153485128836
    67/7/152875926609
     Range2210226589

    Table 2. Duration and GDU accumulation of vegetative and reproductive growth for soybean maturity Mid III to Mid IV.

    LocationPlanting DateDays to R1GDUs to R1Days R1 to R6GDUs R1 to R6
    14/15/1553822531,249
    25/4/15511,04140938
    35/9/15461,02741893
    45/11/154492641961
    56/11/153997430757
    67/7/153693226644
     Range1721927605


Authors:  Angela Parker, Kevin Fry, and Kirk Reese, Pioneer Agronomy Sciences


The foregoing is provided for informational use only. Please contact your Pioneer sales professional for information and suggestions specific to your operation. Product performance is variable and depends on many factors such as moisture and heat stress, soil type, management practices and environmental stress as well as disease and pest pressures. Individual results may vary.