Providing the same level of management as full-season soybeans yields big dividends. It wasn’t long ago when many farmers who double-cropped soybeans behind wheat crossed their fingers and hoped the crop would at least break even. Anything more was an unexpected bonus.
But double-crop farmers today don’t settle for second best. They show the crop the same management muscle as full-season soybeans. Take southeastern Illinois farmer Donald Guinnip. “You have to take it [double-cropped soybeans] seriously,” he says. “You need a positive attitude to make the double-crop system successful. That means you have to treat your wheat and double-crop soybeans with the same intensity of management that you devote to full-season corn or full-season soybeans.”
NOT YOUR FATHER’S CROP. A high-yielding double-crop system isn’t as simple as planting and harvesting wheat, followed by planting soybeans. Guinnip points out production practices have significantly evolved since his father started double-cropping in the 1960s. “Today, we have the equipment, varieties, disease, insect and weed control to make double-crop soybeans just as profitable as full-season. Like everything, it’s a combination of good planning, management and weather,” he says. “Most farmers in my area prefer to focus only on full-season corn and soybeans. I choose to double-crop on my soils that are highly erodible. It makes sense for soil health on those fields; keeps fertilizer in the soil and available to the crop; and addresses surface runoff to help prevent water-quality issues.”
Guinnip emphasizes, however, that profitability is the bottom line. “I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t make money.” University researchers and Guinnip agree on some basic strategies to get the most out of double-cropped soybeans. Keep in mind these differ depending on your individual fields and geography.
FERTILITY FIRST. Prior to planting wheat, soil-test to make sure your fertility levels are on target to meet your goals. Typically, that means fertilizing for high yields of 100-bushel-per-acre wheat. You’ll also get the fertility needed for high-yielding soybeans. “Our research shows you can fertilize for both crops at the same time,” says Jeremy Ross, Extension agronomist, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “Fertilize wheat for high yields, and it will suffice for high-yielding soybeans. Our recommendations are based on strong research that shows it doesn’t matter whether you apply adequate fertilizer once on wheat in the fall versus a split application between the two crops. Plus, one application saves trips across the field.”
Guinnip makes sure fertility levels are sufficient in fields to meet high-yield goals. “My goal is to achieve 80-bushel yields on wheat and 40 bushels on soybeans. That’s a total of 120 bushels per acre for the crop system, which makes it economically feasible for me.” He begins his fertility program by applying 18-46-0 potash before planting wheat. He says that’s sufficient for both wheat and soybeans the following summer. Guinnip comes back in the spring and topdresses the wheat with nitrogen.
“Every day counts when it comes to getting double-crop soybeans planted. You don’t want to waste time fertilizing after wheat harvest and waiting for rain,” Guinnip says. “By fertilizing for both crops in the fall, we gain valuable time that adds to double-crop soybean yields.”
Arkansas’ Ross also points out the weed-control advantages of growing wheat. “Wheat provides a green cover crop throughout the winter, so there’s not typically a weed pressure problem in double-crop soybeans.” Also, there are wheat herbicides to manage problem and resistant weeds that can’t be used in soybeans. Marestail is a good example. It can be controlled in wheat and reduce pressure in double-cropped soybeans. A fall herbicide application in wheat keeps things clean through the winter. If there are escapes, farmers can come back with a spring herbicide application, Ross explains.
SELECT PROPER WHEAT VARIETIES. Guinnip relies on more than 30 years of experience and knows what works on his farm. He devotes about 200 of his 900 crop acres to a double-crop system. His other crop acres on less-erodible fields are in a corn/soybean rotation. He stresses that double-cropping soybeans requires intensive year-round management to achieve high yields. “It’s two crops, and it’s double the management.”
He selects fields with good drainage for wheat production. Many of the fields would have erosion problems without a winter cover crop, says Guinnip, who farms near the Wabash River. Good land stewardship is a professional and personal priority for him. His ancestors settled in Clark County in 1837 on the land he still farms today.
Depending upon weather, Guinnip typically meets or exceeds his yield goals. In 2016, his whole-farm average wheat yield was 104 bushels per acre. Guinnip planted AgriMAXX 415, which rates high for double-crop suitability, winter hardiness, test weight and yield potential.
He also chooses early-maturing wheat varieties with the most resistance to diseases, such as head scab, and to insects. “Make sure you get wheat planted as soon as possible after the Hessian fly-free date,” Guinnip adds. “You can harvest wheat earlier and plant double-crop soybeans sooner, which is what it takes for high yields.”
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