Soybean planting progressed well over the last week; we are 7 percent ahead of our 5-year average. Dry
conditions are plaguing much of the state pausing planting in places where moisture has run out. As we
continue through planting season, a few things to think about, first, make sure to plant soybean seed into
the moisture so that you get a uniform stand, this may warrant checking seeding depth multiple times per
day. Second, adjust seed rates to ensure you get at least 80,000+ plants per acre emerged. Hard, dry, and
compact soils will likely result in fewer plants emerging and could reduce seed-to-soil contact. Lastly, once
the furrow has closed options for controlling nematodes is over. If you have nematode issues or think you
may, a nematode sample prior to planting is not a bad idea to help place resistant varieties or make
nematicide decisions. A link to a quick video I put together on soybean emergence is here:
https://youtu.be/MpdokEECT5M
