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Burlington, IA | Continuous soybeans isn't a practice I would normally recommend, and I've been in agriculture all my life, and the seed industry for about 28 years now. Having said that, that are a few areas in the Midwest where guys seem to get away with it. I don't know if it's their particular soil type, improvement in bean varieties, a favorable microclimate in their locale, or all of the above. In most situations, you will see a gradual, but steady, decline in bean yields, which is largely due to the buildup of disease pressure over time. An earlier poster mentioned picking a bean with a strong disease package, and he's quite right. BSR, especially, is one of the first diseases that will raise its head in continuous beans, so definitely find one that has strong resistance to BSR. Winter wheat might also be a possibility for a rotation. There are still corn hybrids that are shorter in stature available. Once they start to tire of the view, perhaps a hybrid 8' tall, as opposed to one as tall as the combine cab, might be a possibility. I know maintaining good relationships with landlords is vital, but if your income from that piece is going to take a hit in order to maintain their view, perhaps they would also consider some rent reduction on that particular piece? Just another thought. Good luck.
JDH | |
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Continuous soybeans?
