Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Sorting through soybean seed guides can be an overwhelming exercise. Case in point: crop insurance records show Manitoba farmers alone planted more than 150 different soybean varieties in 2026.
With so many choices on the table, a little structure can be useful for finding the right mix to maximize yield potential.
In this video, Katie Meggison, agronomy lead for Western Canada with Maizex, makes her Soybean School debut, joining Kelvin Heppner at a soybean plot at Cypress River, Man. to break down her four-part framework for choosing the right soybean varieties:
1. Build a maturity "portfolio"
Rather than planting a single variety across every acre, Meggison suggests using a 70-20-10 approach to manage risk and spread out harvest timing:
70% main crop: Lock in the bulk of your farm with varieties tailored directly to your local heat units.
20% early season: Pick earlier-maturing beans to start harvest sooner and ease workload bottlenecks across big acreage.
10% aggressive/longer season: Push heat units on a smaller slice of ground to capture big top-end yield when fall weather cooperates.
2. Match herbicide traits to weed pressure
Filter options based on field-specific weed challenges, with a growing list of herbicide tolerance trait options. In Manitoba—where glyphosate-resistant weeds like kochia are widespread—dicamba-tolerant options can be a useful tool.
3. Choose defensive stress and disease packages
Selecting high-yielding varieties matters little if early-season environmental stress hits. Meggison suggests choosing varieties based on their ability to withstand common local stressors:
Iron deficiency chlorosis (IDC): High-carbonate soils make strong IDC tolerance critical. Varieties rated semi-tolerant or better maintain early vigor through cool, wet springs when iron is tied up.
Disease resistance: Prioritize built-in tolerance against yield-robbers like white mould and phytophthora.
Early vigor: Strong root growth and early branching build resilience against early cold and moisture stress.
4. Consider plant architecture
Plant structure can directly affect field conditions and harvestability:
Canopy closure: Semi-bushy or bushy types suit wider 30-inch rows for fast canopy closure, locking in soil moisture and smothering weeds.
Pod clearance: Higher first-pod clearance ensures every pod makes it into the combine header.
Ultimately, Meggison notes seed guide numbers showcase genetic potential, but defensive traits guarantee those bushels make it to the bin. As her Maizex colleague Henry Prinzen puts it: "Agronomics don't create yield; agronomics protect yield."
Website: realagriculture.com
#soybeans #farming #agriculture
Find us on our other social media platforms:
X/Twitter: twitter.com/realagriculture
Instagram: instagram.com/realagriculture
Facebook: facebook.com/realagmedia
Sorting through soybean seed guides can be an overwhelming exercise. Case in point: crop insurance records show Manitoba farmers alone planted more than 150 different soybean varieties in 2026.
With so many choices on the table, a little structure can be useful for finding the right mix to maximize yield potential.
In this video, Katie Meggison, agronomy lead for Western Canada with Maizex, makes her Soybean School debut, joining Kelvin Heppner at a soybean plot at Cypress River, Man. to break down her four-part framework for choosing the right soybean varieties:
1. Build a maturity "portfolio"
Rather than planting a single variety across every acre, Meggison suggests using a 70-20-10 approach to manage risk and spread out harvest timing:
70% main crop: Lock in the bulk of your farm with varieties tailored directly to your local heat units.
20% early season: Pick earlier-maturing beans to start harvest sooner and ease workload bottlenecks across big acreage.
10% aggressive/longer season: Push heat units on a smaller slice of ground to capture big top-end yield when fall weather cooperates.
2. Match herbicide traits to weed pressure
Filter options based on field-specific weed challenges, with a growing list of herbicide tolerance trait options. In Manitoba—where glyphosate-resistant weeds like kochia are widespread—dicamba-tolerant options can be a useful tool.
3. Choose defensive stress and disease packages
Selecting high-yielding varieties matters little if early-season environmental stress hits. Meggison suggests choosing varieties based on their ability to withstand common local stressors:
Iron deficiency chlorosis (IDC): High-carbonate soils make strong IDC tolerance critical. Varieties rated semi-tolerant or better maintain early vigor through cool, wet springs when iron is tied up.
Disease resistance: Prioritize built-in tolerance against yield-robbers like white mould and phytophthora.
Early vigor: Strong root growth and early branching build resilience against early cold and moisture stress.
4. Consider plant architecture
Plant structure can directly affect field conditions and harvestability:
Canopy closure: Semi-bushy or bushy types suit wider 30-inch rows for fast canopy closure, locking in soil moisture and smothering weeds.
Pod clearance: Higher first-pod clearance ensures every pod makes it into the combine header.
Ultimately, Meggison notes seed guide numbers showcase genetic potential, but defensive traits guarantee those bushels make it to the bin. As her Maizex colleague Henry Prinzen puts it: "Agronomics don't create yield; agronomics protect yield."
Website: realagriculture.com
#soybeans #farming #agriculture
Find us on our other social media platforms:
X/Twitter: twitter.com/realagriculture
Instagram: instagram.com/realagriculture
Facebook: facebook.com/realagmedia
