Mississippi Soybean Variety Trials Assist Farmers in Planting Decisions

2015 Trial Data Now Available

STARKVILLE (Nov. 19, 2015) – The time to start making soybean seed selections for 2016 is here, and picking the right varieties is a crucial step on the way to raising high-yielding soybeans.

Fortunately, when it comes to variety selection, soybean farmers have constant, free access to the Mississippi Soybean Promotion Board’s (MSPB) Variety Selector. The online tool features searchable data from variety trials conducted around the state, on various soil types and in irrigated and non-irrigated fields. Results from the 2015 variety trials are now accessible through the tool on the MSPB website, mssoy.org/variety-trials/.

“Our goal is to give farmers access to every piece of data available to help them make informed decisions, and I think we have accomplished that,” says Tim Clements, MSPB chairman. “Overall, the tool allows farmers to effectively research varieties and select those that fit their production system of particular planting dates, soil types, location and tolerance to certain herbicides and pests.”

MSPB partners with Mississippi State University (MSU) to conduct the MSU Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station’s Soybean Variety Testing Program. These trials test nearly 250 soybean varieties and breeding lines to evaluate their pest resistance, agronomic characteristics and yield across the state. The test plots, planted in key production areas in the state, also enable researchers to collect information on naturally-occurring pests in those areas.

With MSPB’s Variety Selector, farmers can access trial data from 2011 to 2015 and search for varieties based on yield, herbicide tolerance trait, soil type, location and much more. The tool allows farmers to efficiently compare varieties and export the data to a spreadsheet for later use.

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MSPB is made up of 12 farmer-directors who oversee the investments of the soy checkoff on behalf of all Mississippi soybean farmers. These volunteers work to increase soybean farmer profitability by investing checkoff dollars in ongoing public research and extension programs that address Mississippi production challenges, thereby driving the adoption of best management practices developed through research and ensuring the sustainability of Mississippi soybean production.

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