August crop progress aided by rain
Soybeans turn a corner in August, with all parts of Missouri getting rain
The summer of 2023 is one Midwest farmers would rather forget. Many areas got off to a rough start. Some areas saw too much rain. Then, a statewide drought made the remainder of spring and summer difficult. A new University of Missouri Extension report shows just how August rains helped the soybean crop stage a late-summer comeback.
Rainfall totals varied
MU Extension agronomist and soybean specialist Bill Wiebold says a combination of rain and cooler temperatures in August helped ease drought stress and prompted pod fill. Wiebold says some areas received 6 to 10 inches of rain in August, while others got less than an inch. The uneven rainfall makes it difficult to pinpoint an average yield for this year's crop. But earlier in August, Wiebold estimated Missouri could have a soybean crop of about 200 million bushels, which would be down 14% from the record-breaking 2022 harvest.
The rains came just in time to help some soybean plants, but other plants were not as fortunate. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 43% of Missouri soybeans were rated in good to excellent condition as of Aug. 28. The remaining 57% were rated as mostly fair to poor. Wiebold says timely rains helped prevent further damage but believes the state will still see a yield loss.
Timely rains
MU Extension weed scientist Kevin Bradley says much of the August rain was much-needed. He says the moisture came at the right time for pod fill, which is when the pods are growing and filling with beans. Bradley says timely rains help plants make the most of fertilizer applications. Farmers should expect a wide range of yields this year, as some fields were damaged beyond recovery, but the rains did help boost soybean yields.
Bradley says early rains put the crop behind, but the better weather in August helped the crop catch up. He says some farmers will still see a good yield, while others were impacted significantly by the drought. The rains in August gave soybeans one final chance to reach their full potential.
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