Maturity Group 0 Soybean Response to Specialty Inputs, Population, and Row Spacing.

Numerous special products are being marketed by agricultural industry to potentially increase seed yield of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. Field studies have been conducted by the North Dakota State University to examine soybean response to special inputs including nutrient mixtures, a fungicide, and plant growth promoters. Two cultivars, two row spacings (35.6 and 71.1 cm), and two seeding rates (371 and 494 thousand seeds ha^-1) were used. Experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replications. Studies were conducted at Carrington and Prosper, ND, in 2010. At Carrington, the higher planting rate resulted in a seed yield advantage of 95 kg ha^-1.  Yield for foliar inputs at Carrington was 222 kg ha^-1 greater than the untreated check.  Averaged across the two sites (at current prices) the net income for the narrow spacing (yield 4252 kg ha^-1) was $35.57 ha^-1 greater compared with the wider row spacing (yield 4172 kg ha^-1). The net income for the higher seeding rate was $ 21 ha^-1 greater compared with the lower seeding rate. Use of the special foliar inputs resulted in a net loss of $38.04 ha^-1 compared with the untreated check.