Fall Tillage Impacts Soybean Diseases

To till or not to till?  That’s been one of the most frequently asked questions this fall as many farmers finished harvest 30 days ahead of last year and weather conditions allowed them to work the ground.

Fall tillage practices impact Soybean White Mold and Sudden Death Syndrome, says Iowa State University Plant Pathologist X.B. Yang.  The effects of fall tillage are completely opposite: no-till can decrease the risk of White Mold while SDS is usually more severe in no-till fields.

SDS is more severe in no-till situations because soil temperatures remain cooler and wetter, according to a recent Wallaces Farmer article.  No-till fields have a lower risk of White Mold, however, due to the placement or distribution of sclerotia. 

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