January 2001 Soy News

Soybeans Today January 2001

Ultra-short season varieties may work for some farmers

by Fred Miller

UA Agronomist Terry Keisling shows field day visitors at the Northeast Research and Extension Station an ultra-short season soybean variety that may one day permit producers to avoid drought. (photo by Fred Miller)

One sure way to survive a drought is to avoid it altogether. Ultra-short season soybeans may give producers that option.

"We're looking at soybeans in maturity Group 00 through Group II from Canada and the northernmost United States," said Terry Keisling, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture agronomist. "They're adapted to short growing seasons and have the potential to mature in Arkansas before hot, dry weather can set in and hurt them.

"It looks like we may have some soybean varieties that will grow in Arkansas and mature early enough to avoid drought."

When spring rains give way to Arkansas' typically hot, dry summer, many producers begin pumping water to irrigate their soybeans. But nearly half of the 3.45 million acres planted in soybeans in 1999 were not irrigated, according to the Arkansas Agricultural Statistics Service. And declining water levels are raising concerns about how much irrigation the state's aquifers can support.

On top of that, many counties in eastern Arkansas have damaging levels of salt or alkalinity in irrigation water. Keisling said some 25 percent of irrigation wells in Arkansas are showing rising levels of salt.

We may have some varieties that will grow in Arkansas and mature early enough to avoid drought.

"An ultra-short season soybean would avoid the dry weather, permitting producers to save water or reduce the addition of salt to their soil from bad water," Keisling said. "Even if irrigation is required, an ultra-short growing season could mean watering the beans one time instead of four or five."

Keisling has expanded the study this year to include ultra-short season corn, hoping to find varieties of this crop that can beat Arkansas' drought. The soybeans in his study are all commercial varieties that are already available to producers. Although it's too early to make recommendations, Keisling said he can offer advice to any growers interested in trying ultra-short soybeans for themselves.

"I can tell them which varieties to avoid," he said.

Soybeans Today January 2001
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For additional information about any board-related activity contact:

Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board
ATTN: Brandy Carroll
P.O. Box 31
Little Rock, AR 72203-0031
Phone: 501-228-1268

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