Farmers Encouraged To Avoid Sacrificing Crop Rotation Amid Increasing Costs

Higher fertilizer costs may have more farmers looking toward soybeans for next season, including in fields which grew the crop last year.  Missouri Soybeans Research Director Greg Luce notes that while this isn’t a recommended practice, it’s already happening in Missouri where soy acres usually outnumber corn by a three-to-two margin.

Luce says recent research found that a field planted with beans a second straight year does not have significant yield loss when compared to the first, but losses increase in subsequent years.  He also reminds farmers to consider all costs before making their decision.

Missouri Soybeans Research Director Greg Luce adds that fields with consecutive years of soybeans may also be at greater risk of infection from pests including Soybean Cyst Nematode or Sudden Death Syndrome.