South Carolina Soybean Research Widens Full Coverage Crop Insurance Window

Soybean growers in South Carolina typically plant between mid‐April and mid‐June, depending on the production system and maturity group. Soybean yield is generally greater when planted earlier. However, in many cases, soybean is planted in rotation with other crops such as corn or cotton, or double‐cropped behind cereal grains such as wheat, oats, or rye, leading to the vast majority of soybean being planted later than desired.

Researchers evaluated the yield performance of four different maturity group varieties planted every month beginning from late March to late August in 2021 and 2022 at two locations in South Carolina. The results revealed that planting soybean as early as late March and as late as late June may not reduce soybean yield in South Carolina, depending on the maturity group selected. Several late March and late June maturity group combinations either met or exceeded the state yield average.

Through the help of this research, the crop insurance window for full coverage in 2023 has been extended to include early‐April and late‐June plantings. This is very beneficial for growers who wish to plant earlier or experience any delays in planting.