Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
A thin soybean stand doesn't always mean it's time to replant, but waiting too long to make that decision can quickly reduce the value of doing so.
In this episode of Soybean School, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness edible bean and oilseed specialist John Fluttert explains how plant population, stand uniformity, and timing all factor into whether a replant makes economic sense.
Fluttert says Ontario growers should consider replanting when populations fall well below recommended levels, but cautions against relying on U.S. research that suggests stands of 50,000 to 60,000 plants per acre can still produce acceptable yields. "That is a lower latitude environment," he says. "They do develop more vegetative growth within the season and more branching within those plants and can tolerate a lower population."
In Ontario, a uniform stand of about 65,000 plants per acre generally doesn't justify replanting. Instead, Fluttert recommends focusing on stand uniformity. Soybeans can compensate for thinner populations by branching, but patchy areas within a field may still warrant supplemental seeding. He adds that lower populations may also require a stronger weed control program because there is less crop competition.
For most Ontario fields, the decision becomes less clear around 90,000 plants per acre, while heavier clay soils have a slightly higher threshold of roughly 105,000 plants per acre. A final stand of about 140,000 plants per acre in 15-inch rows remains the target for maximizing both economic and agronomic yield.
When replanting is necessary, Fluttert says it's usually better to interseed between the existing rows rather than destroy the original stand.
"We have to remember that that original stand was planted before the supplemented stand," he says. Even a thinner early-planted stand typically has greater yield potential on a per-plant basis than soybeans planted later.
Timing is equally important. Research has shown there is little benefit to interseeding once soybeans reach the V2 growth stage because the original plants are already established and the later-seeded plants contribute very little to overall yield. The longer growers wait, the less economic value the supplemental plants provide.
Before making any replant decision, Fluttert also encourages growers to determine why the stand was reduced in the first place, whether it was caused by seeding depth, soil crusting, herbicide injury, disease, or insects, so those issues can be addressed before planting again.
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A thin soybean stand doesn't always mean it's time to replant, but waiting too long to make that decision can quickly reduce the value of doing so.
In this episode of Soybean School, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness edible bean and oilseed specialist John Fluttert explains how plant population, stand uniformity, and timing all factor into whether a replant makes economic sense.
Fluttert says Ontario growers should consider replanting when populations fall well below recommended levels, but cautions against relying on U.S. research that suggests stands of 50,000 to 60,000 plants per acre can still produce acceptable yields. "That is a lower latitude environment," he says. "They do develop more vegetative growth within the season and more branching within those plants and can tolerate a lower population."
In Ontario, a uniform stand of about 65,000 plants per acre generally doesn't justify replanting. Instead, Fluttert recommends focusing on stand uniformity. Soybeans can compensate for thinner populations by branching, but patchy areas within a field may still warrant supplemental seeding. He adds that lower populations may also require a stronger weed control program because there is less crop competition.
For most Ontario fields, the decision becomes less clear around 90,000 plants per acre, while heavier clay soils have a slightly higher threshold of roughly 105,000 plants per acre. A final stand of about 140,000 plants per acre in 15-inch rows remains the target for maximizing both economic and agronomic yield.
When replanting is necessary, Fluttert says it's usually better to interseed between the existing rows rather than destroy the original stand.
"We have to remember that that original stand was planted before the supplemented stand," he says. Even a thinner early-planted stand typically has greater yield potential on a per-plant basis than soybeans planted later.
Timing is equally important. Research has shown there is little benefit to interseeding once soybeans reach the V2 growth stage because the original plants are already established and the later-seeded plants contribute very little to overall yield. The longer growers wait, the less economic value the supplemental plants provide.
Before making any replant decision, Fluttert also encourages growers to determine why the stand was reduced in the first place, whether it was caused by seeding depth, soil crusting, herbicide injury, disease, or insects, so those issues can be addressed before planting again.
Website: realagriculture.com
#agriculture #farming #soybean
Find us on our other social media platforms:
X/Twitter: twitter.com/realagriculture
Instagram: instagram.com/realagriculture
Facebook: facebook.com/realagmedia
