Because of last year’s drought, soybean growers have lower-quality seed to plant this spring than they have in years past and that could spell lower germination rates, said K-State Research and Extension crop production specialist Dale Fjell.

Bumping up seeding rates and using seed treatments are two ways to help bolster a field’s production, he said, but farmers may also want to rethink planting dates.

"We’re not going to make that seed any better, but we can make the environment for that seed to go into better," he said, referring to soil temperature at planting time.

Weather this past year was different in more ways than one through the Plains states. Last summer’s heat and drought was followed by low winter temperatures the likes of which have not been seen in several years.

"Soil temperatures play a key role in seed germination," Fjell said. "This might be a year when growers will want to be patient and wait until soil temperatures warm up before they plant."

A minimum soil temperature of 60 degrees at a depth of two inches is recommended, he said.

"In recent years we’ve pushed that," the agronomist said. "Maybe this is the year we shouldn’t do that. If 60 degrees is the minimum for good seed, it’s obvious that it has to be warmer for less-than-good seed."

Soybean seed will deteriorate if it sits in the ground for a period of time before conditions allow it to germinate. If the seed is already inferior to begin with, planting it too far in advance could further lessen its viability, Fjell said.

"There’s a wide window for planting soybeans in Kansas, from early April into early July," he added.

Treating the seed to protect against soil-borne pathogens such as Pythium spp. and Rhizoctonia spp. is also a way to help get it off to a good start, but because of the fragile condition of this year’s supply, extra care should be taken in the application process, according to the Kansas Crop Improvement Association [KCIA].

The KCIA recommends:

* That growers incorporate their seed treatment applications into their normal drill or planter loading operations to avoid moving the seeds more than necessary.

* If a spiral or screw auger is used, run the auger full and at as low an angle as possible to minimize cracking of the seed. An auger running half-full is "notorious" for damaging seed.

* Weigh the risks of delaying planting until soil temperatures are 65 to 70 degrees against early planting with a seed treatment. Warmer soils promote faster germination and emergence but decrease the benefit of seed treatments in establishment of a stand.

"Early planting in past years has meant the placement of good quality seed into less-than-ideal soil conditions," said KCIA Field Services Supervisor Steve Schuler. "This year’s lower average germination of soybean seed, and its greater susceptibility to breakage during handling, must be taken into account when making planting decisions."