Soybean growers are keeping one eye on soil temperatures, with the other on the calendar.

Kristen Podolsky, production specialist with Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers (MPSG), says we are now entering that two-week optimum planting window, even though soil temperatures are having a tough time staying above that ideal temperature of 10 degrees Celsius.

She notes the cool, wet conditions may cause a prolonged emergence period for soybeans that have already been planted.

"I think the thing that growers need to be concerned about for those early planted soybeans is perhaps root rot and seedling blight, which may happen once the seed treatment wears off. Usually seed treatment will only be effective for two to three weeks."

Podolsky adds its important to pay attention to seeding rates and advises using a fungicide seed treatment if planting into cool, wet soils.

She advisers first time soybean growers to use two types of inoculant, liquid on seed plus granular in the furrow. Producers should be targeting about 140,000 plants per acre, which works out to approximately 200 seeds per acre.