Selecting varieties for no-till is not important. Buy the variety that best fits your needs based on field history and past problems. Variety selection should be based on the following criteria: First, select a maturity group that is adapted to your region. Next, select a high yielding variety that has the nematode and disease resistance packages that are present in your field. Gather data from several respectable sources that run replicated studies and that are planted over many geographic regions. Maturity group: Use a maturity group adapted to the region and cropping system that you employ. However, growers in the mid-south have moved to an early planting system with an earlier maturity group. Please refer to the following maturity group map. (insert map) Resistance: If diseases or other pests (ie Soybean Cyst Nematode) are an issue, select varieties with resistance or tolerance to those diseases and/or pests. Multi-year, multi-site data tests the affect of several environments on crop yield; local data only tests the effect of last year’s environment on yield. The yield potential in soybean has increased (0.3 to 0.4) bu per acre per year. Therefore by planting the same variety several years in a row, yield is lowered. Non GMO varieties can be saved, however this is not recommended.The number of varieties is dependent upon grower size, equipment needs, and risk aversion. All soybean varieties have the ability to compensate for reduced population. There is no evidence to suggest that canopy architecture will affect yield.

“For more information on this or other topics related to soybean production, contact your state extension specialist or your local extension educator/agent.”

The following is the link to the soybean extension specialists: state extension soybean specialist