Economic and weather influences on soybean planting strategies on heavy soils

Experiment station field trial results were used to recommend soybean planting strategies on the basis of yield, net returns and breakeven prices using average as well as range of performance information. These field trial recommendations were subsequently also evaluated for operational scale implications by utilizing historical weather data to analyze timely completion of pre-plant and planting field tasks using a simulation model and constrained maximization. Planting practices analyzed were seedbed preparation (no-till vs. tilled), soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr] cultivar (different times to maturity and planting seasons by selecting maturity group IV, V or VI) and planting equipment (planter vs. grain drill). The analysis demonstrates that recommendations made without regard to weather driven operational scale implications may overlook factors important to crop producers with large and growing operations. For example, producers may choose a less profitable planting strategy in order to be able to plant more acreage or to reduce their risk of foregoing potential profit by not completing field tasks on time. The results suggest that spatial differences are important in this decision and that more flexibility in the timing of operations affected operational scale dramatically. In addition, cultivar choice impacted economic feasibility more than seedbed preparation when evaluated using yield, net return, and breakeven price. Once the impact of weather on timely planting and scale of operation was included, seedbed preparation became dominant in influencing planting strategy. Planting equipment choice was least significant for operational scale implications.