Purdue News

June 25, 1999 Soybeans after wheat can give back-to-back income WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- An extra-early wheat harvest in Indiana this year means that more Indiana farmers than usual will get a chance to plant soybeans after the wheat harvest and get a second income from their wheat acres. Because springtime growing conditions have been nearly ideal for winter wheat, the crop is maturing early and will be harvested about four to five days earlier than usual, according to Ellsworth Christmas, a soybean and wheat specialist for the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service. He said the early harvest offers a better-than-average opportunity for Indiana farmers to plant soybeans into freshly harvested wheat acreage or to "double-crop." The crop and weather report from the Indiana Agricultural Statistics Service for the week ending June 20 said the state's winter wheat harvest was 12 percent complete, compared with the five-year average of 3 percent. Christmas said that farms at the northern edge of the traditional double-crop line may be better candidates for double-cropping than usual, because of the favorable weather. "Soybeans following wheat could be attempted west of a line from Brookville to Warsaw and south of a line from Warsaw to Wheatfield," he said. He added, however, that double-cropping at or near the northern line is "very risky." The soybean expert said farmers who double-crop should choose soybean varieties that have a maturity one-half group earlier than a full-season variety for their areas. "If a group 3.5 is considered a full-season soybean for your area, use a variety with a maturity of 3.0," he said. Because soil moisture is crucial for soybean seeds to germinate, Christmas said that no-till planting is essential to retain moisture and also to save time in getting the crop planted on the same day wheat is harvested. Christmas cautioned farmers against making the double-crop decision before carefully estimating cost and possible profit. "Push your pencil really hard to determine the total costs that will be involved," he said. "The 1999 soybean crop will likely be rather large, resulting in low harvest prices. I would suggest that you use your county loan rate as a target price. This will be around $5.26 per bushel. If your cost figures require a yield that is not attainable, do not plant." Christmas also urged growers to ask themselves these questions: Can you harvest wheat at 20 percent to 22 percent moisture and then dry it to 12.5 percent or 13 percent for market? If so, you can plant double-crop soybeans from seven to 10 days earlier than usual. Can your combine chop and spread residue evenly? If not, be sure to leave 8 inches of stubble after straw is removed. Do you have a good no-till drill that can cut through residue and put seeds at the proper depth? Don't till, because it'll sacrifice too much necessary soil moisture. Do you have a burndown herbicide to kill all vegetation when you plant, as well as a product for control during the rest of the season? Make sure you use both. Is your soil moist enough for seeds to germinate? If not, don't plant! Source: Ellsworth Christmas, (765) 494- 6373, echristm@purdue.edu Writer: Amy H. Raley, (765) 494-6682, ahr@aes.purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page