Early-maturing soybean in a wheat-soybean double-crop system: yield and net returns

Double-cropping soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] after harvesting wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is an important production system in the mid-southern USA. Field studies were conducted at Stoneville, MS (33 degrees 26' N lat) to evaluate the seed yield and net returns from early soybean maturity...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Agronomy journal 2006-03, Vol.98 (2), p.295-301
Main Authors: Kyei-Boahen, S, Zhang, L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions
Biological and medical sciences
Cereal crops
crop yield
cultivars
double cropping
economic analysis
field experimentation
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Glycine max
irrigation
maturity groups
net farm income
Soybeans
Triticum aestivum
wheat
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Summary:Double-cropping soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] after harvesting wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is an important production system in the mid-southern USA. Field studies were conducted at Stoneville, MS (33 degrees 26' N lat) to evaluate the seed yield and net returns from early soybean maturity groups grown in a double-crop system under limited irrigation and to compare the results with those from a full-season system. Soybean cultivars from maturity groups (MG) III, IV, and V were used. Double-cropped soybean yields ranged from 2055 to 3767 kg ha(-1) and were 10 to 40% lower than their full-season counterparts. For both systems, the average yield and net returns from MG IV, in particular the late IV cultivars, were among the highest, whereas those from MG III and late V were generally the lowest. The net returns from the full-season soybean averaged $85 to 274 ha(-1) higher than those from the double-cropped soybean; however, the net returns from the double-cropped wheat more than compensated for these differences. The 3-yr average wheat yield was 5170 kg ha(-1) and accounted for more than 60% of the combined net returns from the double-crop system. These results indicate that yields and net returns from double-cropped MG III or IV soybean could be equal or greater than MG V cultivars, but the late MG IV provided the highest yield and economic return. The data indicated that wheat-soybean double-crop system using MG III or IV under limited irrigation was more profitable than the full-season soybean system.
ISSN:0002-1962
1435-0645
DOI:10.2134/agronj2005.0198