Soybean School: Short-Season Varieties Could Unlock Double Cropping Success

Why It Matters

Adopting ultra‑short soybean varieties enables reliable double‑cropping in northern Ontario, unlocking new revenue streams and improving farm resilience amid shifting climate windows.

Key Takeaways

• Short-season soybean varieties boost double‑crop yields in northern Ontario.
• Planting July 11 with triple‑zero maturity achieved 40 bushels per acre.
• Longer fall frost windows in 2025 enabled higher soybean harvests.
• Breeders now offer high‑yielding, ultra‑short maturity beans previously unavailable.
• Success depends on precise planting dates and regional climate conditions.

Summary

The Soybean School episode spotlights a breakthrough in double‑crop soybean production for Ontario’s northern growing regions. Researchers led by OMAFRA specialist Horst Bonner demonstrated that planting ultra‑short‑season varieties—often labeled as triple‑zero or even shorter—can deliver robust yields when sown in early July, a shift from the traditional practice of using longer‑maturity beans. Key data from the 2025 Elora Research Station trial showed 40 bushels per acre from soybeans planted on July 11, a stark contrast to the 15‑20 bushel returns typical of earlier short‑season attempts. The success hinged on an unusually late frost date—October 26—providing a longer harvest window, and on recent breeding advances that have produced high‑yielding, very short‑day cultivars previously unavailable to growers. Bonner emphasized the importance of precise timing, noting that a ten‑day shift in planting can swing yields from zero to 40 bushels. He also warned that the approach remains higher‑risk, especially for growers north of London, and that regional maturity maps are being refined in collaboration with seed companies and the University of Guelph to guide variety selection. If widely adopted, these ultra‑short varieties could transform double‑cropping economics, allowing farmers to capture additional soy revenue without sacrificing winter wheat or barley cycles, thereby enhancing overall farm profitability in marginal climates.

Original Description

Double cropping soybeans in Ontario has long been a high-risk play, especially as you move north—but new research suggests variety selection could shift the odds.

In this episode of the RealAgriculture Soybean School, host Bernard Tobin is joined by Horst Bohner, soybean specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness, to discuss how “super short-season” soybean varieties are showing promise in improving double crop success.

Historically, one of the biggest challenges has been simply getting the crop to finish. “The real issue is, will you have something worth combining?” Bohner says, noting that in regions north of London, Ont., many attempts have ended with immature beans that never reached harvest.

What’s changing is the performance of very short-season genetics. Bohner points to recent trials, including work at the Elora Research Station, where ultra-early varieties—such as triple-zero maturity—delivered strong results. “We’re growing the very shortest day varieties we can get… and we’ve had more luck with that,” he says.

Those gains are significant. In several trials, double crop soybeans seeded in mid-July reached yields of more than 40 bushels per acre—well above what was historically expected from short-season beans. Advances in breeding have improved yield potential in these early maturities, addressing a key limitation from previous decades.

Timing, however, remains critical. Bohner emphasizes that success hinges on gaining just a few extra days. “The difference between the 10th or 11th of July and the 20th is literally 40 bushels or zero bushels,” he says, underscoring how narrow the window can be.

The findings also challenge long-standing recommendations. Rather than shortening maturity by a single maturity group, Bohner says growers in shorter-season regions may need to move much earlier—potentially to triple-zero varieties—to give the crop a chance to finish.

While the approach still carries risk and depends heavily on location and fall conditions, Bohner says the progress is encouraging, and ongoing trials aim to better define double crop variety recommendations.

Tap here for more soybean management insights on Soybean School.

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