Farmers will need to employ multiple tactics to improve soybean yield. The most important will be employing management tactics that improve soybean root health.

A healthy soybean root is an important component to soybean yield. A soybean plant with a healthy root system is more efficient in taking up water and nutrients, and can better withstand the effects of infection by soilborne pathogens and soybean cyst nematode.

This year, many Midwest farmers discovered first-hand the effect of root infection by the fungal pathogen that causes sudden death syndrome: yield losses of 40 percent were recorded in some fields.But it’s not just sudden death syndrome that is limiting yield potential in soybean fields. Soybean cyst nematode remains the most serious nematode pest of soybean in the United States.

For many years early soybean planting has contributed to soybean seedling damping off, which reduces stand establishment. Pythium, Rhizoctonia root and stem rot, Phytophthora root rot, and Charcoal rot are root and stem diseases caused by soilborne pathogens and all are known to cause significant yield loss. It is interesting to note that research conducted at Iowa State University discovered that some isolates of Pythium recovered from diseased soybean seedlings were also highly aggressive against corn. This suggests that management tactics to reduce the impact of Pythium species must be utilized in both the soybean and corn crops.

Reducing yield loss from these soybean diseases begins with improving root health. Improving root health begins with refining management tactics. Soilborne pathogens are best managed with a combination of improved soil drainage, fungicide seed treatments, planting high quality seed, crop rotation and tillage practices that minimize soil compaction zones. These management tactics reduce inoculum in the field and limit the amount of water available for the pathogens to germinate and infect.

The importance of a well drained soil became apparent this year as farmers noticed signs of SDS first in low lying field areas and along edges of water ways. Improving drainage in these areas will reduce the severity of SDS and also diseases caused by Pythium and Phytophthora. If drainage in these areas cannot be improved, farmers should consider planting them last.

The importance of managing SCN cannot be overstated. SCN feeding on roots creates openings for opportunistic infection by soilborne pathogens. Researchers recently found greater levels of Pythium species and Phytophthora sojae in roots of SCN susceptible soybean plants. Previous research showed that SDS was more severe in areas also known to be populated by SCN.

Fungicide seed treatments for soybean are an emerging tool that farmers can use to protect yield. Some data suggest that the combination of a fungicide and insecticide seed treatment produces greater yield than using either of the two alone. This suggests that the management tactics to control early season diseases and insects should begin at planting and not after emergence. In other words, Manage Soybeans from the Ground Up to increase soybean yield.

That’s your soybean checkoff. Delivering Results.