Soybeans are the more drought tolerant crop.
During podfill the soybean plant is least able to compensate for stress. Excessive rainfall in the springtime often restricts planting at a critical time. However, this spring maximum provides a useful recharge of the soil's water holding capacity. Fall precipitation may delay harvest. Mid-season clear skies may result in stress during pollination but they also contribute the abundant, uninterrupted solar radiation necessary to produce the high corn yields typical of the U.S. Midwest.