Leveraging Within-Field Spatial Variability to Optimize Soybean Yield, Seed Quality, and Profitability

Optimizing yield and seed quality in soybean production is critical for both profitability and meeting market demands. However, within-field variability in soil properties poses a challenge in determining optimal management strategies to maximize soybean yield, seed quality, and profitability. This work aimed to evaluate the spatial variability of soybean fields to optimize soybean seeding rates, seed quality, and profitability. Two case studies were used to carry over this research. The first study looked at the optimal economical site-specific soybean seeding rates using 11 on-farm precision experiments across Nebraska. The second study looked at the protein and oil variability within 22 soybean fields in Nebraska and its relationship with crop stressors (e.g., weeds, insects, diseases, and abiotic factors) for two years. Fields were scouted during the growing seasons to identify the number, type, and most important stressors that could directly or indirectly affect soybean seed quality. Findings from this research provide actionable insights for farmers about the use of variable seeding rate technologies and sample strategies to understand within-field soybean seed quality variability. Advisors: Nicolas Cafaro La Menza and Laila A. Puntel