Scouting for SDS is Important

Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) typically appears during the last week of July or the first week of August in Latham Country, so farmers are being advised to keep their eyes open for this yield-robbing disease.  Cool, wet conditions at planting time can contribute to the severity of SDS.

“Although we do not expect SDS to be as widespread or as severe as the 2010 growing season, there have been some Iowa counties that have received higher-than-normal precipitation,” said ISU Plant Pathologist Alison Robertson in a recent Wallaces Farmer article. “We expect the risk of SDS in these counties to be higher since the development of this disease is favored by wet conditions.”

Scouting for SDS is important for several reasons:

1. Identifying fields or parts of fields with SDS can help with future management practices. These management tactics include reducing soil compaction since the disease has been associated with compacted soil; planting fields with a history of SDS towards the end of a planting schedule when soils may be warmer and drier; and testing for the presence of soybean cyst nematodes.
2. Cyst nematode is usually, but not always, associated with SDS. You may see more severe cases of SDS in soybean varieties that are SCN-susceptible. When selecting soybean seed, it’s best to read through the SDS score rather than judge a bean solely by SCN tolerance.
3. Planting resistant varieties, or avoiding very susceptible varieties, is the most effective way to reduce losses from SDS. Keeping good field records from year-to-year will help determine which characteristics are most crucial when selecting soybean varieties to plant in a given field in a given year.  The following Latham® varieties carry excellent scores for SDS tolerance:

• L1568R2
• L1584R2
• L1773L
• L1783R2
• L1800RX
• L1884R2
• L1936R
• L2084R2
• L2085R
• L2183R2
• L2275R2
• L2283R2
• L2438R2
• L2560R
• L2585R2
• L2686L
• L2767R2
• E2784R2
• L2875R
• L2983R2
• L2987L
• L3157R
• L3268R2
• L3287L
• L3385R2

As you prepare to walk your fields, these videos shot last season by Soybean Product Manager Mark Grundmeier will explain what symptoms of SDS to look for in your fields.  You might also enjoy watching Mark’s brief, but informative, videos on SDS management and prevention.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Sdx4EqpNw4&feature=channel_video_title[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgQYwdnU788&feature=channel_video_title[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kvxo3D3SQ0&feature=channel_video_title[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9_pXGl7y_Y&feature=channel_video_title[/youtube]