Management practices to optimize establishment and early growth of soybean

In Manitoba, cool, wet soils can create challenging conditions at planting leading to reduced emergence and early-season growth.  Management practices that modify the micro-climate that soybeans are exposed to early in the growing season, and/or that give the crop a competitive advantage under stressful conditions, may help to create a set of conditions that are more conducive to soybean establishment, growth and yield and thereby potentially reduce production risk. Despite ongoing improvements in soybean genetics, soybean is inherently a cold-sensitive crop that can be prone to low-temperature damage in both the spring and the fall.  As such, planting either too early or too late may pose a production risk.
Potential may exist to reduce the risk associated with frost and/or near-freezing conditions, and to enhance crop establishment and early-season growth, through management.  Growing well-adapted cultivars suited to regional growing conditions is critical.  However, residue management practices, seeding depth, seed size and seed quality can potentially influence early-season soil temperature and moisture conditions and the ability of the soybean crop to emerge and grow early in the season.  A better understanding of the impact of these management practices on soybean growth, yield and quality under Manitoba conditions may help to refine management practices in order to reduce production risk and optimize soybean production in this province.