Soybeans
Soybean production in Mississippi has experienced many changes over the years. In the 1980’s and 1990’s, state average yields were 21 and 26 bushels per acre, respectively. During the 2000’s, Mississippi’s average yield increased to 34 bushels per acre. Since that time, soybean production has improved even more with the 2014 and 2015 growing seasons resulting in the two highest state yields on record, with averages of 52 and 46 bushels per acre, respectively.
Soybean is currently the top row crop and number three on the list of agricultural commodities in Mississippi behind poultry and forestry. In 2015, Mississippi soybean producers harvested over 100 million bushels on nearly 2.3 million acres. The 2015 total production value for soybeans in Mississippi reached $930 million.
Mississippi soybean producers are commonly planting maturity Groups IV and V soybean varieties, with the majority of the state’s acreage being planted by the end of May each year. There are many management decisions required for successful soybean production. These decisions include, but are not limited to, variety selection, planting date, pest management, irrigation management, and nutrient requirements. Such decisions will vary depending on factors such as production location or issues that may occur within a given year. Many sources of information are available regarding soybean management in Mississippi. These resources should be utilized to ensure that the best management practices are incorporated for successful soybean production.
Publications
News
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Online preregistration for Mississippi’s premier row crop course is open.
Hosted by the Mississippi State University Extension Service and the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, the 2023 Row Crop Short course will be held on Dec. 4-6 at the Mill Conference Center in Starkville.
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Cool temperatures and rainfall are two things most of Mississippi has not seen lately.
This winter, however, that could change and help farms that have taken a hit from extreme drought if anticipated El Nino conditions play out. But the rains will not arrive quickly enough to save this year’s crop for some growers.
The southwest quadrant of the state is currently in what the U.S. Drought Monitor report classifies as a D-4 (exceptional drought) zone, while other portions near or below Interstate 20 are in D-3 or D-2 zones.
Mississippi’s 2.3 million acre soybean crop is looking strong late in its growing season, thanks to somewhat earlier planting dates and almost ideal conditions through the end of July. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates 72% of the crop is in good or excellent condition. They estimate more than 96% of the crop is blooming, and 7% is coloring as it nears harvest.
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- After a June 14 severe thunderstorm dropped some of the state’s largest recorded hail on Noxubee County, row-crop farmland there suffered up to 50% yield loss.
A 5-inch-diameter hailstone from the eastern Mississippi storm cell made media headlines, but reports of wind and hail damage to crops in the Mississippi Delta began rolling in as early as the previous weekend.
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Anytime conditions allow soybean growers in Mississippi to begin planting in April, they have started on the right foot.
On the week ending June 4, 93% of the state’s crop was in the ground, and 87% was reported emerged; both percentages are just ahead of state five-year averages.
Success Stories
Gaddis & McLaurin might sound more like the name of a law firm than a general store, but the name is synonymous with all manner of dry goods in the Hinds County community of Bolton and has been since the 1870s.
Sledge Taylor is no stranger to cover crops —he first planted vetch on 100 acres of his Panola County farmland in 1979—but he has ramped up his cover crop usage and added other sustainable agricultural practices over the past 15 years.
With 3,000 acres of corn, soybeans, and cotton, row crops are the most abundantly grown commodity on Philip Good’s land, but he has made strides during nearly 45 years of farming to diversify his inventory.
Following its 2020 cancellation, the Mississippi State University Extension Service’s Row Crop Short Course hosted 675 people from Mississippi and neighboring states.
Four-generation farm family trusts MSU Extension
Four generations of Steeles have graduated from “our dear ol’ State.” While the university has certainly changed over the years, for the Steele family, one thing remains constant: they trust the land-grant institution’s research and outreach.
