The Scoop on Soybean Traits
In my 20 plus years in the seed business, I have never seen more uncertainty around which products or traits might be best for each farm—and with good reason. Let’s unpack that a bit.
Yield
Let’s put the facts on the table. Despite widespread advertising that “Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® is 6 bushels better that LibertyLink®” or “LibertyLink is 2 bushels better than RR2 Xtend”, no trait has an inherent yield advantage over any other trait. Genetics deliver yield. Period.
Peterson Farms Seed operates the largest independent yield testing program in the region, with nearly 40,000 individual yield plots last year. We can find no significant yield difference between the top varieties of any trait. The key phrase in that sentence is “the top varieties.”
Yes, the RR2 Xtend lines are, for the most part, newer genetics. All else being equal, you would expect a yield advantage from newer genetics.
But the LibertyLink and Roundup Ready 2 Yield® varieties that are still in our lineup are the genetic superstars that keep proving themselves year after year. You can think of them like the Tom Brady of soybean genetics. Love him or hate him, it is not wise to bet against him (this Super Bowl excluded)!
So first, trust that whichever trait or traits you prefer, the genetics in the Peterson Farms Seed varieties will bring you the agronomics and yields you need.
RR2 Xtend
Even after last summer’s huge issues with off-target dicamba, RR2 Xtend beans will have a big increase in acres across the region. Some of that is driven by performance, some of that is driven by the promise of better weed control. And, let’s be honest, some of that is defensively driven by the fear of curled beans. No question the varieties will perform. No question that dicamba kills weeds. But with the additional restrictions, it may be difficult to get those beans sprayed on the label and most universities are still warning about volatility. This summer will tell the tale.
LibertyLink
LibertyLink is now the easy button! When we first started working with LibertyLink soybeans about a decade ago, one of the pushbacks from farmers was that the Liberty system was harder to use than a Roundup system. Liberty required different nozzles, more water, better application timing and so on which is all true. It is a measure of how much has changed that LibertyLink is now the simplest and safest weed control program in soybeans.
Roundup Ready 2 Yield
For farmers who can still control weeds in a glyphosate system, there is no reason to switch. But, please, please, please use a pre and please tank mix other modes of action—crucial advice no matter which trait you prefer.
So, RR2 Xtend, LibertyLink or Roundup Ready 2 Yield, your Peterson Farms Seed dealer has genetics that will meet the toughest challenges you face and bring home the top yields you need.
Now for the fun stuff!
Enlist™
We are expecting final approvals for Enlist soybeans in time for the 2019 planting season. This is the 2,4-D bean and the Enlist compatible formulations have been working great with no off-target movement. We have been growing these on our farm for the past four seasons in increases and development and they are looking great.
LibertyLink GT27
This might be a new one for many of you. This bean is a combination of LibertyLink, Glyphosate resistance and tolerance to group 27 herbicides (HPPDs). Which means you can spray them with either glyphosate or Liberty in sequence or in a tank mix. And while we will not have a label for any HPPDs soon, we do believe that under some dry conditions, carryover from previous year’s HPPD application could be an unseen yield robber. We expect these great products from these new traits to replace many of our current LibertyLink and RR2Y lines.
Look for both exciting new traits in a Peterson Farms Seed GO Plot near you! And, as always, if you have any questions on soybean traits, give one of us a call at 701-282-7476 and we’ll do our best to help you out!