Scott Mandernach of Mandernach Seeds in Odebolt, Iowa, was a bit skeptical of the hype surrounding the new GenuityTM Roundup Ready 2 YieldTM Soybeans from Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds. Then he harvested them and saw a 12-bushel advantage.
“I hadn’t ordered a single unit of the Roundup Ready 2 soybeans before harvest,” Scott said. “Then I saw the yield difference. I called my RSM from the combine and said, ‘I’m ordering a bunch’.”
The Mandernach farm in Sac County usually raises 50-bushel beans, but this year yields ranged from 58 to 60 bushels per acre (bu/A) even on the conventional soybeans that were planted beside the RR2Y soybeans. Scott’s soybean plot was split between two fields: one minimum till and one no till. Both conventional and RR2Y varieties were planted May 17 in both fields in 15-inch rows at a population of 185,000. They were harvested on Oct. 17.
“I was really impressed with the new Roundup Ready 2 soybeans,” said Scott. “They yielded 72 bushels per acre. In the 22 years that I’ve been farming, there’s only one other time that we even saw yields close to this. I’m convinced this new technology is the way to go.” 
