ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER AGRONOMY 35 a range of 80 to 100, which is similar to the current recommendations. “If we do the same summary below 100 ppm, the average response is within three to 13 bu. per ac with an average of five bushels,” said Correndo. “But if we go above the critical value, the average re-sponse is around two bushels, or one-and-a-half, within a range of zero to five.” With the MERK, the research data indicated that in a lot of cases, between 60 and 120 lbs of K2O/ac, there was no economic response. But whenever there is a response, he added, it looks like the recommendation may be a bit short, meaning more research and data are required. One question from the audience asked how crop removal rates might affect application recommendations. Correndo responded that this research only reflected changes to the recommendations. DOUBLE CROPPING SURPRISE Horst Bohner has never been a fan of double-cropping soybeans, mostly due to his location near Stratford and the uncertainty of planting dates. Growers in various regions have tried it, as has Bohner since 2021. He said he’s failed every year except in 2025. “And I have some really interesting results and I’m getting a little excited about double cropping, even in the short-season areas,” he said. To illustrate his point, he displayed a picture of one field at the Elora Research Station with “regular-planted soybeans ready for harvest on Oct. 1, compared to a nearby double-crop field that was green and vibrant. “But October 9th was when we had the first frost of any significance, and we had really short-day beans – Wolf 2200 heat units, 000s. Between the first and ninth of October, they came along really nicely.” Bohner tried different maturity groups to what he considered to be an adaptive variety for Elora, and the one he planted was a 0.7 maturity group, and they finished. The plots were helped by a relatively late end to the collection of crop heat units on Oct. 24; in 2024, it was Oct. 16, and the long-term, 10-year average is Oct. 1. What he took from the 2025 results, however, was the need for short-day soybeans – up to three maturity groups less than adapted at Elora. That’s where Bohner suggested growers would have the most success. “It's not what we'll necessarily finish with in terms of what you can get away with, but this is based on 10 years of performance trials,” he said, noting the Maturity Group map for soybeans has continued on page 36 Table 2 - Double Cropping Success (Elora 2025) Row Width Seeding Rate (x 1000) Yield (bu./ac) Average Yield (Row Width) Gross Profit (Row Width) Wolf R2X 000.7 MG 2200 CHU 7.5 210 (1.5 bags) 42.4 44.3 $492.35 7.5 350 (2.5 bags) 46.1 15 210 44.5 42.8 $470.60 15 350 41.0 Badger R2X 00.6 MG 2425 CHU 7.5 210 38.6 40.2 $432.90 7.5 350 41.7 15 210 36.9 37.2 $389.40 15 350 37.4 Hydro R2X 0.1 MG 2250 CHU 7.5 210 35.5 40.3 $434.35 7.5 350 45.0 15 210 39.4 41.4 $450.30 15 350 43.3 (Planting date: July 11, $75/seed bag, $14.50/bu. price) Source: Horst Bohner, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA)
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