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Soybean Variety Information & Performance Profile

Author: Horst Bohner - Soybean Specialist/OMAFRA
Creation Date: 15 November 2005
Last Reviewed: 15 November 2005


Internet Tool

Each year the Ontario Oil and Protein Seed Crop Committee (OOPSCC) assesses soybean varieties for traits such as yield, lodging, seed weight, height, SCN resistance and more. Trials are set up from the very southwest to as far north as New Liskeard. This information is the most comprehensive comparison of Ontario soybean varieties available.

Now it’s become even more practical to use this information. If you have access to the internet you can customize your search to compare yields and traits of the varieties that are of most interest to you. By visiting Ontario Oil & Protein Seed Crop Committee, you can quickly create head-to-head comparisons with the varieties you choose. The site is also available by following the links from the OOPSCC web page. This powerful tool is called the Variety Information & Performance Profile.

Table 1 - Soybean Variety Traits
Variety Hilum Colour Flower Colour Pubesc Colour Heat Unit Rating  Other Traits  Distributor
OAC Wallace  Brown Purple Tawny 2750  - -  SeCan Association 
 S 08-80  Imperfect Yellow Purple Tawny 2800 PRR Resist. Gene: 1c    Syngenta Seeds Canada Inc 

Table 2a: Results for 2800 Heat Unit Zone (Conventional Variety Test)
Days to Maturity
Variety 1 year average 2 year average 3 year average 4 year average 5 year average
OAC Wallace 119.8 116.4 115.5 116.3 --
S 08-80 122.5 118.6 116.5 116.6 118.5
2800 Conv Test Avg. 124.6 120.4 118.1 119.1 120.8

Table 2ba: Results for 2800 Heat Unit Zone (Conventional Variety Test)
Yield (bu/ac)
Variety 1 year average 2 year average 3 year average 4 year average 5 year average
OAC Wallace 59.6 56.4 56.6 52.1 --
S 08-80 56.7 55.5 55.2 49.3 50.5
2800 Conv Test Avg. 56.1 54.8 54.8 49.1 49.8

Variety Selection

  1. Don’t compromise on variety selection. The single most important yield increasing decision you can make is to choose the best varieties suited for your farm. A tremendous effort is spent each year to gather yield data for Ontario varieties. Take advantage of this information.
  2. Try something new. Every producer should be assessing at least one new variety per year. But don’t leave behind the tried and true. Plant more than just 2 varieties for one operation. Fifty acres of one variety is lots for the medium sized grower. Two or three varieties in fields up to 150 acres, and three to five varieties with more than 150 acres.
  3. Choose a variety that fits your CHU area. Don’t push the envelope too far on this. There are those who are planting soybeans 300 CHU longer than what’s recommended for their area. This worked in 2005 but that doesn’t mean it will work next year. It’s not always an advantage to have very long day beans. If you look at how well some of the shorter day beans perform it’s worth spreading the risk with respect to CHU as well. For example, in Kansas and other southern states they have lots of heat units but often yields much lower than ours. They are experimenting with using Ontario short season (for them) beans, with very good success.
  4.  Know the disease issues in your fields. SCN, white mould etc. Choose appropriate varieties.
  5. Talk to your neighbours.

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