Farmers across Missouri face the tough decision on whether to replant crops after the recent flood.

According to Greg Luce, University of Missouri Extension grains specialist and research director for Missouri Soybean Association, farmers should look at the planting date and changing environment to determine the effectiveness of replanting.

"It is important to make the decision based on economics and not emotions," he says.

MU Extension soybean specialist Bill Wiebold and MU ag economist Ray Massey developed the following list of items that farmers should consider when making a replant decision:

• Determine the cause of the sparse stand.
• Determine the stand density and condition of the stand.
• Determine the yield potential of the sparse stand.
• Estimate the expected gross revenue from the sparse stand.
• Estimate the cost to replant.
• Estimate the yield potential and gross revenue from a replanted stand.
• Determine whether replanting will pay for itself.

MU offers the following tables with an estimate of percent yield potential when planting corn or soybean at various dates in the season.

In the case of flooded fields, once water recedes, growth will resume within three to five days. Luce says this is the time to begin evaluating corn stand and plant survivability. For corn, a healthy radicle root and coleoptile should be white to cream color.

Farmers should then conduct stand counts and use replant decision guides to determine whether to keep the existing stand. For more information, read MU guide 4091, "Corn and Soybean Replant Decisions."