Virginia Soybean Variety Performance Tests 2025 Entry Application
Guidelines for the Virginia Soybean Variety Performance Tests
2025 Entry Application
The purpose of the Virginia Soybean Variety Evaluation Tests is to provide information on the performance of soybean varieties in the various climatic and soil zones within the state.  The wide range of conditions encountered in Virginia provides environments where soybeans in Maturity Groups III to VI can perform well.  Please read the following information for details of the upcoming 2025 variety trials and use the survey to enter your varieties.

2025 Test Locations: Variety tests will be conducted on a regional basis by maturity group (III, early IV, late IV, early V, late V and VI) at the following experiment stations.
Full-Season Locations: Will be planted at 140,000 seed/acre at the first low-risk situation after May 1, 2024.
Double-Crop Locations: Will be planted at 220,000 seed/acre at the first low-risk situation after June 1, 2024.

Entry Requirements: A variety will be entered in all locations within a cropping system (e.g., full season or double-crop) listed above.  Please select an option for each variety entered:
  1. Option 1: Entered variety will be planted at all full season study locations (no double crop).
  2. Option 2: Entered variety will be planted at all full season study locations AND both double crop study locations.
  3. Option 3: Entered variety will be planted at both double crop study locations (no full season).

Entries by VAES: The Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station (VAES) reserves the right to purchase seed in the open market to test varieties that are marketed in the area but are not officially entered by the developing agency.

Methodology: The varieties will be grown in small plots (approximately 6-8 feet wide x 17-25 feet long) and will be replicated at least three times.  Soybean will be harvested as soon as possible after maturity. The center rows will be harvested, leaving a border row on each side of the harvested rows.  Plots will be end-trimmed with a minimum harvest row length of 12 to 17 row-feet. Virginia Cooperative Extension agronomic recommendations will be followed on all plots. VAES shall provide all materials to produce the crop.

Data Collected: Every effort will be made to plant, harvest, and calculate the results of each entry accepted.  However, if a natural calamity occurs causing loss of the crop and data, no financial liability, including return of testing fees, is either expressed or implied. Data to be collected on the performance of each variety will include but is not limited to the following:
  1. Yield (bu./ac)
  2. Date of maturity (when 95% of pods turned brown)
  3. Lodging (scale of 1 to 5)
  4. Plant height (measured at R8)
  5. Seed quality (scale of 1 to 5)
  6. Seed size (weight of 100-seed sample, converted to number of seeds per pound)
  7. Purple seed stain (% of 100 seed sample affected with disease)

Seed Required: The commercial company shall furnish the seed needed to plant the tests. Eight to ten pounds of seed are needed for each entry per cropping system test (approximately 2 lbs. per location). If one enters a variety in both the full-season and double-crop tests, 16-20 pounds of seed will be required.

Seed Treatments: Companies are encouraged to pre-treat the seed with a fungicide. We no longer treat seed.  Insecticide seed treatments are also allowed. The seed treatments must only use labeled products applied at labeled rates. Please provide a list or MSDS of the active ingredients of all seed treatments used with the shipment.

Plant Populations: Unless otherwise specified by the participants, varieties will be seeded at the equivalent to 140,000 seed per acre for full-season soybean, and 220,000 seed per acre for double-crop soybean (after wheat).  Please specify on the entry form if seeding rates other than this are desired.

Deadlines: Entry forms are requested to be received by March 1, and seed should be received by April 1 for inclusion in the test.  

Testing Fees: To help recover some of the direct expenses of the Official Variety Testing program and ensure quality research, fees are requested for each variety entered, scaled to the option selected. Checks should be made payable to Treasurer, Virginia Tech and mailed to the Tidewater AREC (address listed below). 
  1. Option 1: $1200/Variety
  2. Option 2: $1500/Variety
  3. Option 3: $700/Variety

Shipping Instructions: Send entry forms, checks, and seed to:
Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center
c/o Carrie Ortel
6321 Holland Road
Suffolk, Virginia 23437

Thank you very much for your time and support.  If you have any questions or cannot meet the deadlines, please contact Chris Buck, Lead Technician - Soybean Agronomy Program at bchris65@vt.edu, or Carrie Ortel, Soybean Agronomist at carrieo@vt.edu. Please use the survey to enter your contact information and your varieties by clicking on the Next button below. 
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