The yield monitor jumped up into the 80s and even the 90s as the combine worked through the Soybean Watch field. Nestled in south-central Indiana, this year’s field clocked an average of 75.2 bushels per acre, topping the previous record of 66 bushels.
Reflecting on the first visit to the field shortly after planting, Steve Gauck, regional agronomy manager for Beck’s, said this ending wasn’t guaranteed.
“There were concerns early in the season with planting depth issues and frost damage,” he said. “But it shows that stress early doesn’t necessarily always hurt the outcome. Beans can compensate. But we knew a lot of things had to go right during the growing season to offset that.”
A tale of resilience
Later visits to the Soybean Watch field offered a glimpse at plants that recovered and persevered following early-season challenges. It’s something Gauck largely credits to the planting date…