Response of Nonirrigated Maturity Group V Determinate Soybean to End‐Trimming

• DOI: 10.2135/cropsci1998.0011183x003800010046x
• Publication Date: 2010-07-29T18:58:36Z
• Authors: Larry G. Heatherly; Jeffrey. M. Tyler
• Keywords: 2. Zero hunger; 0401 agriculture, forestry, and fisheries; 04 agricultural and veterinary sciences

Obtaining accurate seed yield information from soybean[Glycine max (L.) Merr.] field research environments and concurrently conserving valuable field space is desirable. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of plot length and alley width on the response of short‐ and tall‐statured Maturity Group(MG) V soybean cultivars to end‐trimming after maturity. Experiments were conducted in 1995 and 1996 at the Delta Research and Extension Center at Stoneville, MS, (lat.33°26′). ‘Hutcheson’ (relatively shorts stature) and ‘DP3 3589’ in 1995 and ‘DP 3588’ in 1996 (both relatively tall stature) were planted on 9 May 1995 and 15 May 1996 Treatments were plot length (6.10 or 15.25m ), alley width (0.90 or 2.45m ), and end‐trim length (0, 0.45, or 0.90m ). Average height of Hutcheson at maturity was 52 cm in 1995 and 55 cm in 1996, while average height of DP 3589 in 1995 and DP 3588 in 1996 was 88 cm. All cultivars responded similarly in yield to all factors in this experiment. End‐trim length was the only factor that significantly affected average yields. Not end‐trimming resulted in an average yields of 2573k g ha−1, while end‐trimming either 0.45 or 0.90 m resulted in average yields that were nearly identical (2356 and 2 337k g ha−1, respectively). Contrary to our hypothesis, increasing plot length from 6.10 to 15.25m and decreasing alley width from 2.45 to 0.90 m did not negate the end‐of‐plot effect on yield of soybean grown in nonirrigated field plots. These results indicate that soybean grown in plots with row lengths and alley widths that are within the confines of the dimensions used in our experiment should be end‐trimmed to eliminate end‐of‐plot effects. Also, field space can be conserved by using the 6.1‐m plot length and the 0.90‐m alley width.