Soybean variety selection is an essential part of a high-yielding soybean operation. Each field’s needs are unique, so getting the right seed is essential for proper stand development, disease mitigation and yield potential. Plus, the clock is ticking: Popular traits and varieties often sell out months ahead of planting.
Use the following factors to guide your soybean variety selection and be prepared to get in the fields when next season’s planting window opens.
Yield potential: Study soybean trait details carefully
Focus first on yield potential by crunching the numbers. One valuable tool that can help is university trial data that has been collected across multiple locations for multiple years. Look for standout soybean variety examples that have produced high yields in both public and private trials. Prioritize soybean varieties that deliver high yields consistently across different locations and multiple years.
Soybean relative maturity is another factor to evaluate. Consider including longer-season varieties in your fields. They tend to yield slightly higher than shorter-season varieties.1 A combination of different maturity groups can also help spread out harvest so all your fields aren’t ripening at once.
University data is free to access and can be a great place to start evaluating soybean yield data.
Early planting tolerance: Seek a soybean variety with good emergence scores
Prioritize any soybean variety with high emergence scores and a proven track record of developing a strong stand amid early planting and cold soils. This can help reduce the risk of yield loss caused by volatile spring weather.
Ask your local university or extension office for data on soybean early planting performance. You can request details on specific varieties, geographic locations within your state, or both. Maps illustrating ideal planting dates can help you pinpoint exactly when to plant which soybean variety and when to expect it to emerge.2
Return on investment: Evaluate soybean variety input costs and market benefits
Financial considerations play a key role in your soybean variety selection. Evaluate what you will put into the ground in order to produce a crop, then estimate the monetary returns you can expect.
On one side of the ledger, calculate how much seed you’ll need. Factor in any unique pricing considerations such as specific varieties you’ll plant with herbicide-, insect- and disease-resistant traits. Determine any inputs needed throughout the season such as herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, or additional seed treatments that will help you get the crop to maturity with the highest yields possible.
On the other side of the ledger, add up anticipated yields for those varieties you’ll plant. Also factor in any cost savings you might capture using seed traits and seed treatments. The right seed traits and seed treatments can help you establish a good stand early, avoiding replanting or recovery treatment costs. If you’re planting a specialty variety such as non-GMO or high-oleic and expecting a premium, be sure market returns outweigh any added production expenses.3
Disease history and resistance traits: Assess field needs before soybean variety selection
Consider pressures facing your soybean fields. Identify soybean seed varieties most likely to thrive given the pests and diseases you most frequently encounter.
Search for university data that illustrates how different soybean varieties perform when faced with specific disease threats such as frogeye leaf spot.4
Rotate multiple soybean varieties with different Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) resistance genes, which can limit the pest’s ability to adapt and threaten your crop. Be aware of the effectiveness of a particular SCN resistant gene in your fields and switch genes if needed. Use soybean seed treatments where appropriate.
Also pay attention to emerging innovations. Your local BASF representative can help you identify products to help your soybean crop thrive, including:
- xarvio® SeedSelect, a novel seed variety placement technology
- Xitavo soybean seed with the Enlist E3® triple-stack herbicide tolerant trait
- ILEVO® seed treatment for protection against SCN and sudden death syndrome
Geographic and weather adaptation: Get great yields by getting local
Before finalizing your soybean variety decisions, consider where you farm. Select varieties designed for your regional climate and soil types. Ensure each soybean variety you plant can withstand extreme conditions such as drought and heat, which are expected to become more prevalent in the Midwest in coming years.5
Experts are available to help you make your seed selection decisions. Reach out to your seed retailer, a nearby extension office agent or a seed company professional like your regional BASF representative.
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Endnotes
- Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. “Soybean Variety Selection.” Integrated Crop Management, Iowa State University, https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/encyclopedia/soybean-variety-selection. Accessed 23 July 2025.
- Anibal Cerrudo and Seth Naeve. “Risk Management for Early Planted Soybean.” Minnesota Crop News: CropCast Blog, University of Minnesota Extension, 15 April 2024, https://blog-crop-news.extension.umn.edu/2024/04/risk-management-for-early-planted.html. Accessed 23 July 2025.
- Illinois Soybean Association. “Ill. Soy Magazine June 2024.” Issuu, June 2024, https://issuu.com/ilsoybean/docs/ill._soy_magazine_june_2024_28pages/s/50167671. Accessed 23 July 2025.
- Smith, Kelsey. Southern Illinois University Carbondale. “Identifying Frogeye Leaf Spot Resistance in Two Elite Soybean Identifying Frogeye Leaf Spot Resistance in Two Elite Soybean Populations and Analysis of Agronomic Traits in Resistant Lines Populations and Analysis of Agronomic Traits in Resistant Line.” OpenSIUC, https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3857&context=theses. Accessed 23 July 2025.
- University of Illinois Department of Crop Sciences. “Northern Regional Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) Tests.” Research Facilities and Programs, University of Illinois at Urbana‑Champaign, https://cropsciences.illinois.edu/research-outreach/research-facilities-and-programs/northern-regional-soybean-cyst-nematode-scn/. Accessed 23 July 2025.
- Jin, Zhenong, et al. “The Combined and Separate Impacts of Climate Extremes on the Current and Future US Rainfed Maize and Soybean Production under Elevated CO₂.” Global Change Biology, vol. 23, no. 7, 2017, pp. 2687–2704, Purdue University, https://www.eaps.purdue.edu/ebdl/pdfs/Jin_2017_GCB.pdf. Accessed 23 July 2025.
