Soybean Yield Estimator

Crop Tech Cafe Preharvest Soybean Yield Estimator

After years of frustration in trying to estimate soybean yield prior to harvest, I have created a set of resources for others to use that hopefully allow us to more closely agree with the combine and weigh tickets. Below you will find a brief video created by Market Journal explaining how to estimate preharvest soybean yields. Additionally, a step-by-step guide and Excel estimator tool are available to download below. The Crop Tech Cafe Soybean Yield Estimator Tool (Excel) was derived from the Simplied Method created by Shaun Casteel, Purdue University with some additional factors including post estimation yield losses (pod abortion, arrested seed development, header losses, separation losses, etc.) and moisture adjustment.  Without these additional corrections, you are very likely to over estimate yield. This methodology is still not perfect, but it is getting better.

How-To Video:

I have made a few changes since the video was created including picking two representative plants versus random plants to determine the average number of seeds per pod. Additionally, post estimation yield losses include more than just combine harvest losses.  Including aborted pods, arrested seed development, shattering, lodging, etc. than can occur after we estimate yield.  Therefore, a 10 to 15% correction factor for post estimation yield losses may be more appropriate than the minimum of 5%.

Step-By-Step Guide:

Download (PDF, 865KB)

Crop Tech Cafe Preharvest Soybean Yield Estimator Tool:

Download (XLSX, 29KB)