News

Illinois grower tops 100 bushel soybeans

Peru, Illinois, farmer Dan Arkels may have earned $5,000 for his ability to grow high-yielding soybeans.

“I harvested my plot last Friday and recorded a 103.95 [bushel] yield per acre on a 3.9 acre plot,” Arkels told Brownfield Ag News Wednesday.

Arkels’ yield was verified by an independent agronomist as part of the Illinois Soybean Association’s 100 Bushel Challenge program.  He tells Brownfield that he’s been trying to do this for a while, but 2012 was too dry and 2013 was planted too late to expect a yield that high.  He planted this crop on May 8 into what he describes as ideal soil conditions.

“We never had any issue other than a little sudden death towards the end of July and the beginning part of August, but the crop really looked good all season long,” he said.  “We kept it healthy and used a lot of different products to promote flowering and pod retention.”

Illinois Soybean Association Production Chairman Don Guinnip says the goal of the contest is to help all growers.

“When someone excels and shows that they can do the 100 bushel or better, a lot of producers may say, ‘well this, or that, or one part of that particular application that he did might work on my farm,’ so we think a lot of this will have positive fallout for other producers,” said Guinnip, during an interview with Brownfield Ag News on Wednesday.

Arkels selected a 3.4 maturity variety in hopes of capturing more sunlight and more of the growing season.  His plant population is high and rows are spaced at 15-inches.  He applied additional slow-release nitrogen and micronutrients throughout the season and fungicides as needed.

Arkels’ harvest qualifies him for the challenge.  However, the winner will not be announced until all participants harvest their plots and yields are verified.