Maximize Water Efficiency

Soybean plants have the ability to withstand a certain amount of stress, whether it be from diseases, insects or drought. However, plants can only withstand these pressures for so long before losing yield. To combat drought stress, more Mississippi soybean farmers irrigate their acres. Irrigation can substantially increase yield, but the practice does not come without additional costs and labor. Nevertheless, certain practices and tools can make irrigation more efficiently and farmers more profitable. 

Soil-moisture sensors take the guesswork out of scheduling irrigations. Using these sensors could eliminate one or more irrigations per field without reducing yields. Soil-moisture sensors should be placed at 6, 12 and 24 inches deep. These take the guesswork out of determining how much moisture the soil has available to plants. Portable soil-moisture meters allow a farmer to spot-check a field at will, confirming the data being received from the soil-moisture sensors installed in the fields.

Soybean irrigation initiation
Drought affects soybeans most during the reproductive stages, when plants begin to flower and produce pods and seeds. During these stages, a soybean plant can use a quarter-inch of water per day. The need to irrigate is greatest during these times. According to MSU Irrigation Specialist Jason Krutz, Ph.D., farmers should begin irrigation at threshold, regardless of growth stage. He adds that soil-moisture sensor irrigation thresholds can be used to ensure you don’t lose yield associated with drought stress during the critical R3 through R6 growing stage.