Effects of Spring Post-planting Flooding on Early Soybean Production in Mississippi

Abstract

Planting soybean in April to avoid late‐summer drought is a common management practice in Mississippi. However, soybeans planted on Sharkey clay soils are often exposed to waterlogged conditions during the early spring. Experiments were conducted at the Delta Research and Extension Center (DREC) at Stoneville, MS, in 2003 and 2004 to assess the effects of induced flooding on soybean seedling emergence, stand establishment, and associated yield loss. In 2003, post‐planting flood treatments of 0 (control), 24, or 48 h were applied before seedling emergence or at the V1 stage. In 2004, similar treatments were applied except the timings of treatment were 0, 36, and 72 h. Results indicated that flooding prior to seedling emergence reduced number of plants and plant height, whereas only plant stand was affected when flooding was applied at the V1 stage. Number of pods per plant and number of seeds per pod were higher for the non‐flooded control compared with the 48‐h to 72‐h flood duration at the V1 stage, but the final seed yield was not affected in both years. The data suggest that waterlogged conditions lasting two to three days may not have significant effect on seed yield.