Compiling Mississippi’s 2010 soybean variety short list and an updated soybean variety cross-reference guide were more of a challenge than normal, says Trey Koger, Mississippi Extension soybean specialist.

For the short list, see 2010 Suggested Soybean Variety List.

For the cross-reference guide, see Cross-reference guide for common soybean varieties: 2009-2010.

“It was more difficult to develop the short variety list this year than in the past,” says Koger. “That’s because we had OVT (Official Variety Trial) data to go by. There was a lot of inconsistency with respect to the geographical parts of the state and planting date had a tremendous impact, as did the maturity group.

“Overall management, from field to field, also influenced variety performance.

“So, it was more difficult to develop the list. Even so, we had ample data to put the list together — about 65 percent of the OVT data was fine. A lot of the OVT beans were planted a bit later than normal.”

For the suggested variety list, “we utilized OVT data, personal observations — how well does a variety do in a certain environment? — the disease package of a variety and consistency. We do our best to put consistent varieties on the list. They may not be racehorse varieties, trial in and trial out. But they’re consistent.

“We put a lot of varieties on the suggested variety list. We also try to take into account the state has increased acreage and we’re planting on more types of soils than we have before. Because of that we’re diversifying the list more than in the past.”

What is Koger hearing about seed quality for next year?

“Folks are making variety selections for next year. From what I’m hearing from the seed companies, I think we’ll be okay in terms of the amount of seed available to plant.”

Seed production “did take a hit although we’re waiting to see how big. A lot depended on where beans were grown, when they were planted if they were harvested in a timely manner.”

Koger believes seed companies will hold back whatever seed shouldn’t be sold. However, “some seed does slip through the cracks. That happens — and it always will because the system will never be perfect.

“The situation probably means supplies on some of our best varieties will be even tighter. The good varieties will be in even higher demand.”

Mississippi’s soybean harvest “is nearly done. There’s a little left here and there, some late-planted crop in the north of the state that hasn’t come out because it’s still wet. We’ve had a couple days of cloudy, misty weather lately.”

The state is “around 99 percent done on what will be harvested. Of course, there are a lot of acres that won’t be harvested and left in the field.”

Asked to narrow down “a lot,” Koger says “We’re looking at approximately 175,000 acres that we won’t harvest. That isn’t insubstantial — 175,000 acres out of 2 million is quite a bit. And, to provide a full picture, we probably harvested that many that weren’t sold to an elevator. Those went to a salvage buyer. So, Mississippi is looking at around 300,000 acres of beans that were sold as salvage or weren’t harvested.”

A “tremendous” amount of field prep work is currently being done in Mississippi. “A lot of chisel plows and disks are being used to cover up ruts. Field cultivators are running. There’s no choice but to do the work. Producers really tore fields up during harvest.”

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