Seeing Smaller Soybean Sizes This Year? Here’s What You Need to Know.
Seeing Smaller Soybean Sizes This Year? Here’s What You Need to Know.
Across Iowa and surrounding areas, UAS rep Paul Handsaker has been hearing a consistent theme from customers:
Soybean seed sizes are running extremely small — 3,500 to 4,000 seeds per pound. That’s smaller than what many growers are used to seeing.
We wanted to share a few important reminders to help you think through how to treat these beans properly before you get started.
First: Smaller Beans Aren’t a Problem — But They Change the Math
Small soybean seed isn’t necessarily a quality issue. But from a seed treating standpoint, smaller seed affects:
Flow rate
Hopper capacity
Auger speed
Ounces per minute
Overall coverage
Simply put: smaller beans move differently through your treater.
That means your treating approach may need to adjust.
Key Tips for Treating Smaller Soybean Seeds
1. Call Your Rep Before You Start
Before firing up your treater, it’s worth a quick conversation. Every system is a little different — semi-automated and fully automated setups will react differently to small seed.
If you're in Paul’s territory (IA, western IL, southern MN, northern MO), give him a call. Otherwise, contact your UAS rep and talk through your plan before you begin. A five-minute conversation can prevent a lot of frustration.
2. Slow Down the Treater
Smaller beans flow faster.
That means they can run through your seed treater at a higher speed than expected.
On a semi-automated AT500, set your treater collar to 1 or 2 to prevent hopper overflow at the auger.
On a fully automated system, start slower than your normal run rate and increase gradually as needed.
The goal is to maintain consistent product application without overwhelming the hopper or losing coverage consistency.
3. Treat by SCU (Per Unit)
With variable seed size, treating by weight alone can lead to over- or under-application.
Treating by SCU (seed count unit) ensures accuracy.
The UAS app automatically adjusts for seed size, helping you calculate proper use rates and flow rates based on the actual seeds per pound you’re working with.
If you’re seeing 3,500–4,000 seeds/lb, make sure your seed profile reflects that.
4. Start with a Dryer Mix
Smaller beans have less surface area. If you apply too heavy of a blend right away, you risk:
Over-application
Wet seed
Coverage issues
Flowability problems
Start with a dryer mix — lower water rates or no water initially — and adjust from there if needed. You can always add moisture for improved coverage, but you can’t remove it once it’s on the seed.
REMEMBER:
Check Seed Size Upon Delivery
Before you begin treating:
Confirm seeds per pound
Verify germ and quality
Update your seed profiles accordingly
Don’t assume seed size is the same as last year. Small seed changes everything from flow rates to calibration settings.
We’re Here to Help You Adjust
A smaller soybean seed size is manageable. It just requires attention. If you have questions, contact your UAS representative before startup. We’d rather help you dial it in on the front end than troubleshoot mid-run.