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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

A week of Recovery Helps Iowa Crops

Wallaces Farmer recently reported that a week of drier weather following the July 4 holiday was welcome across the state of Iowa after an abnormally wet June. Farmers were finally able to apply herbicides in soybean fields and harvest their second cutting of alfalfa. Some farmers were even able to replant areas of fields affected by flooding.

The information shared came from The Iowa Crops and Weather Report released July 12 by the Iowa Office of USDA’s National Ag Statistics Service providing the latest update on Iowa’s 2010 corn and soybean crops. The report stated in areas not affected by flooding, the corn looks good, but despite the week of drier weather and sunshine, crop conditions still vary greatly from field to field. Excess moisture and possible nitrogen deficiency have been attributed to the inconsistent growth.

Watch for symptoms of corn leaf diseases

Mark Licht, field specialist with ISU Extension says corn diseases are starting to show up. He’s seen some eyespot and grey leaf spot, and also heard of Goss’s wilt showing up in some fields.

Licht recommends considering the following points when making a decision regarding fungicide applications (click here for Monday’s post on foliar fungicide application).

1. How susceptible/tolerant to disease is the hybrid?
2. Are weather conditions conducive for disease pathogens?
3. What past field management has occurred; i.e. tillage, crop rotation?
4. Are foliar disease symptoms present in the lower canopy?
5. Do you expect enough yield response to pay for the application costs?

What about soybean diseases? Licht says soybean diseases are currently limited to Septoria brown spot in the lower canopy and bacterial blight in the upper canopy of soybean plants. “Fungicide applications on soybeans should not be applied until R3 (beginning pod set) for best results,” Lict advises.

Click here for the full article.

Enter Latham’s Tall Corn Contest to Win!

Also, congratulations to last week’s Tall Corn Contest winner, Chelsea Ewen! Thanks so much to everyone who participated.

Enter this week’s Tall Corn Contest by guessing the height of the corn in Uncle Jim’s corn in the above photo. Simply visit www.facebook.com/LathamSeeds and enter your guess in the comments below the photo! For a list of contest rules, click here.

Team Latham

July 15, 2010

General, Season, Summer
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Severe Weather Affects Crops Across Latham Country

Minnesota

It’s been a week of severe weather across southern Minnesota. Jason Obermeyer says he has never before seen hail damage so severe, saying in areas you cannot identify what crop was even planted unless you dug up the ground and identified it by root mass.

Last Thursday, the state was hit by several tornadoes. While the property damage was severe, it was nonetheless miraculous that more people were not injured or killed as storms pounded the area. Video of the June 17 tornado is below, as well as photos of the damage from last week’s storm.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_406pHbSFYE[/youtube]

Albert Lea Tribune June 17 Tornado Photos

Severe Weather Photos

While impressive/depressing as the crop damage is, Jason says it pales in comparison to the American spirit. The Minnesotans and Iowans who were affected by last week’s storm system picked themselves up, dusted themselves off and helped those in need. “From the local fire and rescue squads, to the neighbors and friends, to the American Red Cross,” he said, “I tip my hat to all of you and say thanks for being there when we needed you the most. It’s times like these that I say thanks to God for being an American.”

The daily rainfall is making for some challenging spraying conditions reports, adds Jason. Many fields need to be sprayed. Pre-emerge herbicides or early post residual tank mixes are showing their value this year since farmers haven’t been able to get in field when they’ve wanted.

When he is asked the question, “What do you do?” he replies, “If you can live with ruts, then go for it. Sometimes it’s better to lose a finger and save the hang then wait for ideal conditions for spraying.” With each day of severe weed competition, we’re losing yield. As drastic as it may seem, the idea of a clean field will put minds at ease for the time being.

Wisconsin

Steve Bailie says they could use some sunshine in his territory. The corn is belly button to chest high and is canopied. Latham Hi‑Tech Hybrids (LH) 5266 3000GT and LH 5777 SS are looking phenomenal in his plots. Nodules are appearing on the roots of soybeans. In the southwest part of state, the 15-inch rows are very close to canopied and the 30-inch rows are about a week away from canopied. In the northeast, crops are just a little bit behind due to later planting dates. Farmers are struggling to get the second alfalfa crop out of the field due to all of the wet weather.

Northeast Iowa

Nick Benson reports the corn and beans look good, but if the rain continues, they will start losing yield due to too much moisture. LH 4777 VT3 looks awesome throughout his territory. Weed control and side dressing nitrogen are big concerns due to all the rain.

Central Iowa

Kevin Meyer reports hail and strong winds throughout his territory this past week. Herbicide applications and nitrogen losses are at the main topics of discussion because too much rainfall is going to prohibit farmers from getting it all done. Kevin said fungicide applications should be considered on some acres by varieties due to the amount of moisture in the ground. Although the corn looks pretty good overall, stress is beginning to take a toll on this year’s crop. Soybeans are much the same. Weather stress and early signs of disease should be on every producer’s mind. As these fields dry out, keep a close eye on the crops and be very proactive about any problems that are surely going to develop.

Bob Collins’ territory in central Iowa has missed the last couple of rains. The corn is looking great with some yellow spots in the low wet areas due to all the rain. Some bean fields need spraying, but due to the weather, it’s been hard to get in the field between rain storms. He says the farmers in his territory might be able to get back spraying by the end of the week.

Central Nebraska

Steve Edwards reports fields in his territory are water logged due to all of the rain and poor soil drainage. Some corn is chest high and about 5% of beans have canopied. The moisture from excessive rain is giving farmers a hard time with weed control.

Eastern Nebraska

Mike Lorenz says eastern Nebraska has received rain every day again this week, so fieldwork remains at a standstill. Conditions are worsening because farmers can’t get in the fields to spray or replant. The crop insurance deadline for planting soybeans was June 10with a 25-day window, giving them until July 5to replant any needed acres.

Farmers need to clearly understand options available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (USDA FSA) and under their crop insurance policies before making replant decisions. For more information on assessing one’s options, check out this June 21 CropWatch report from University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL) Extension service:

Mike says it’s been an interesting year. Roads and bridges remain closed, especially by the Elkhorn River that is taking in water from the widespread flooding. With these conditions, it’s difficult to reach fields to check for damage. Although the lower grounds are flooded and will have very poor crops, the hill crops are looking very good because the sandy hills have had exceptional moisture thus far.

East Central Iowa

Brad Beatty reports crop growth is at least two weeks ahead of schedule: corn in his area is already 6 feet tall and soybeans are already knee-high. Most corn is too tall to spray for the second time, leaving spraying with drops as the only option. There are also a lot of soybean fields in dyer need of spraying. Much of East Central Iowa has received as much as 10 inches of rain in the last week and Brad has heard of wind speeds as high as 70mph from last Friday’s storms. Fortunately, corn that lodged from the past storms is recovering well. Most lodging was due to saturated soils and shallow root systems, but this may have been a blessing in disguise because, as brittle as the corn is, it could have green snapped. Dry weather is needed badly! Some farmers have second crop hay to make and others are still working on the first crop.

South Central Iowa

Over a 24-hour period this week, Travis Slusher’s farm near Adel received two inches of rain. The storm that blew through Tuesday morning brought some pea-size hail but not enough to do any significant damage in his immediate area. However, last Friday’s storm and high winds created some isolated areas of significant greensnap in the corn. Corn and beans in the low areas are now a complete loss as they’ve had too much water on them for too long. There hasn’t been any progress with haying due to the stalled weather system. Hopefully, this will change later this week and some much needed dry weather will return.

Northwest Iowa

Northwest Iowa remains the Garden Spot as Bruce Anderson reports that crops in his area continue to flourish. Corn rows are mostly filled and beans are shooting up to new heights. His region has received rain but nothing the tiles can’t handle, so there is no standing water.

Central Iowa

Bart Peterson reports the Humboldt area received 2.4 inches of rain during the storm last Thursday and Friday. Another round of severe thunderstorms hits the area last night. Corn is growing quickly and is at the V10 to V12 stage. Beans are beginning to flower. Webster and Humboldt Counties have certain areas that have moderately saturated soils, causing some Fusarium and Rhizoctonia root rot but nothing to the point that they are going to see much yield loss.

Team Latham

June 23, 2010

General, Season, Summer
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Rain, rain, go away

High moisture has farmers frustrated all across the Corn Belt and beyond, and a recent Crop Happenings report from Iowa State University Extension, prepared by John Holmes, Extension Field Agronomist, highlighted the ample rain’s effects on farmers and their fields.

Recent rains have saturated farm fields, and the ponds are full again. It’s common to see water standing between rows. Dealers and farmers are frustrated that they aren’t able to spray postemergence herbicides. In yesterday’s Crop Report, we reported farmers in eastern Nebraska haven’t been able to get into the field for 12-15 days. To the left is another photo taken in east central Iowa of a field turned pond. Farmers who still need to sidedress nitrogen are concerned they may need to dribble N between the rows or use a high clearance sidedress applicator now. We’ve also seen talk of aerial planting on New Ag Talk (link) from frustrated farmers who have multiple acres of soybeans left to plant. Both corn and soybeans are growing rapidly, and with the exception of the flooded areas and the ponded areas the crops generally look good.

Sidedressing nitrogen

At this stage, corn is getting close to being too big to use a traditional sidedress applicator, the article stated. Available options recommended included dribbling 28% to 32% UAN between the rows. Since UAN is banded on the soil surface, the potential for loss is considerably less than if broadcast. The other option is to use a high clearance sidedress applicator. Holmes said the only one he knows of right now is made by Hagie Manufacturing Co. The applicator uses a coulter and a high pressure stream to apply the N below the soil surface.

What to look for

Soybean disease: Watch for bacterial blight in soybeans right now, the article warned (see left-hand image courtesy of ISU). First symptoms will be water-soaked or light brown lesions surrounded by yellow halos. The youngest leaves are most susceptible. Also watch for Septoria brown spot on lower leaves (see below image courtesy of ISU). Small dark brown spots will appear on unifoliolate leaves and lower trifoliolate leaves. This disease is favored by warm, wet weather.

If you would like to subscribe to Iowa State University’s free

Crop Happenings e-newsletter, simply e-mail bartus@iastate.edu.

How much rain has your area seen recently?

Team Latham

June 17, 2010

General, Season, Summer
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Wisconsin Update

Steve Bailie, Latham regional sales manager in Wisconsin recently shared the below photos of soybean fields in his area.

“Snapping” Soybeans

The first photo is of a field that experienced “snapping” soybeans due to soil crusting. Soil crusting is a common symptom of wet soils at planting or heavy rains right after planting. The soybeans had begun growing in a normal fashion, but when the hypocotyledonary arch tried to pull the cotyledon to the surface, the hard soil caused the “snap” to occur, leaving the cotyledons in the ground.

Tilled and No-Tilled Emergence

The second photo illustrates the difference in soybean emergence in tilled versus no-tilled soils. The soybeans emerged faster in the tilled soil because soil temperature was warmer. The no-tilled soils will warm up and emergence will occur without trouble, it will just be a bit delayed in comparison to the tilled soil.

High Temperatures

This photo was snapped while scouting a Wisconsin field last week. Just a week before, the corn had yet to emerge, but as you can see, high temperatures made for some quick changes.

Larry Sailer, Musings of a Pig Farmer

June 7, 2010

General, Season, Summer
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Evaluating Corn Replanting Options
Cool temperatures and wet conditions have put stress on corn germination and emerging seedlings. Before deciding to replant, some important steps should be taken:
1. Evaluate the stand for population and uniformity.
2. Compare yield potential of the existing stand with yield potential of the replant (consider insurance or government program restrictions).
3. If the decision is made to replant, consider various management practices discussed below to optimize yield potential.
Evaluating Existing Stands

When evaluating corn stands, only count plants that have a good chance of survival. Observe the uniformity of the stand across the field to determine whether the entire field will need replanting or if you can replant portions of the field.

There are a couple of options you can use when evaluating corn stands. (Please note the second option is a more accurate method).
1. Count the number of plants in a length of row equal to 1/1000^th of an acre based on row width (Table 1). Multiply the number of plants by 1,000 to get the plants per acre. Repeat the process in several field locations.
2. Count 150 plants and measure the distance from start to finish with a measuring wheel. Divide the number of feet traveled into the appropriate factor in Table 2 to determine plant population. For example, if you walked 94 feet while counting 150 plants in 30-inch rows, the population is 2,613,600÷94=27,804. Because a longer row length is counted, the samples are more representative and fewer locations are required.
Should I Replant?

After taking stand counts, consider yield potential of the current stand and planting date, compared to the yield potential of the target replanting stand and date, and the costs associated with replanting.

If you decide to replant …

The first step in deciding to replant is removing the existing stand. Tillage is an option in most cases, however, depending on the growth stage of the original stand, two passes may be necessary.

Second, determine which relative maturity (RM) to use when replanting. As planting occurs after May 1, corn requires approximately 1.6 fewer growing degree days (GDDs) per day of delayed planting to reach flowering.

Third, decide on a management practice to protect against corn rootworm and other soil insects, including European Corn Borer (ECB).

Finally, corn planted later in the season has a greater chance of exposure to heat and drought stress during pollination. Manage this risk by selecting a hybrid with heat and drought tolerance and early flowering.

If you have any questions about whether or not you should consider replanting, please don’t hesitate to let us know by commenting on this post, or by contacting us at 1-877-GO-LATHAM.

Source: Monsanto’s Agronomic Alert
Team Latham

May 25, 2010

Corn, Crop, General, Season, Spring
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Crop Conditions Across Latham Country

South Central Iowa

Travis Slusher reports that corn is 100% planted. Soybean planting is nearly finished in the northern half of his region and about 50% done in the southern half. South Central Iowa received 2½ to 3 inches of rain last week along with some cool temperatures. There was isolated frost injury for corn in the northern region, but with warmer temps and more sun, it should grow out of it. However, Headline® fungicide may need to be applied to those corn acres. Corn that was planted April 12 is at the V2 stage, and a few of soybeans are at the VE to VC stages.

Northwest Iowa

Bruce Anderson reports that corn planting is done and soybeans are anywhere from 50-75% done. Weather forecasts show no rain this week, so all soybean acres should be planted by the end of this week or early next week. Last week’s rain and this week’s sunshine have created ideal conditions. The sunshine should help some corn green up again. So far, Bruce hasn’t yet seen any soybean emergence.

North Central Iowa

Tom Larson reports a delay in planting and emergence due to last week’s frost followed by cool, wet weather that slowed down any damage done by the frost. Some of the earliest planted soybeans were replanted. Corn stands were reduced, primarily in areas where temperatures dropped below 32 degrees. With the growing point still below ground, the biggest concern now is whether new growth will be able to push through the dead tissue. There may also be problems with new tissue that is unable to emerge and becomes bound up inside the dead tissue. This week will tell the story as to the severity of the tissue.

Central Iowa

Bart Peterson reports that corn is 100% planted and at the VE to V2 stages. Soybeans are at the VE stage. North Central Iowa got hit by frost last week; now is good time to check whether your fields are recovering. About three to five days after a frost event, dig plants and split their stems to make an assessment. Healthy plant stems will have cream to yellow colored tissue above the growing point. Brown discoloration in the tissue about the growing point signifies pathogen invasion and impending plant death. Be sure to consider all factors carefully before replanting. For more information, check out www.extension.iastate.edu/cropnews.

South Dakota

Bill Eichacker reports that Southwest Minnesota is nearly done with planting both corn and soybeans. Corn is at VE stage in Southwest Minnesota. In his South Dakota area, 75% of the corn acres and 20% of soybeans have been planted. His area received up to four inches of rain over the last two weeks, but warmer and drier weather this week should drastically change crop progress.

East Central Iowa

Brad Beatty reports last week’s weather was cold and wet, with his area receiving up to 3¾ inches of rain. Corn in his region is 92-94% planted and the soybeans are 65% planted. Corn is anywhere from VE to V2 stages; very few beans having started to emerge yet. Now warm weather and heat units are needed to boost plant growth. This week soybeans are being planted heavy and some farmers are spraying. The first cutting of hay is taking place.

Southeast Iowa

Wayde McNeil reports that nearly 100% of all corn and soybean acres have been planted. Corn is at the V1 stage and soybeans are not quite emerging yet. After last week’s cool, wet conditions, things should green up and emerge this week. While scouting fields late last week and early this week, he’s seen 30% frost damage to the corn north of Highway 30 and only 5-10% in the acres south of Highway 30. He’s seeing some indication of wireworms (see right- hand image) in the region. The good news is that although he’s seen wireworms, he has not seen any damage. The Poncho 250 seed treatment is doing its job!

Wayde reports replanting may need to be done, especially because soybeans are trying to emerge through hard crusted soils.

Replanting will be needed in areas of his corn and soybean fields where water is standing.

Central Iowa

Bob Collins reports it is wet. His area received 3 inches of rain in 24 hours, last Tuesday to Wednesday. Most of the beans are in and all the corn is planted. Emergence has been good.

Kevin Meyer’s area is also wet. He reports 90% of beans are in and all the corn has been planted. None of the beans have emerged, but the corn emergence looks good. Last week’s frost killed very little corn. Some corn is turning yellow.

Northeastern Iowa

Nick Benson reports that last week’s cold weather prohibited crop growth. His area didn’t receive as much rain as the rest of the state, but they did receive 2.5 inches Wednesday night. Eighty-five percent of the corn is planted and some got nipped by the frost. About 30-40% of the beans are in the ground. Nick did not have any crusting issues. He’ll give an update on emergence this week since the weather is warmer.

Northern Missouri

Rick Foster reports that his area is extremely wet. Everything came to a stop in his area, as well. About 93% of the corn is planted. The wet, cold weather created problems will results in some replanting. A few beans have been planted. Those that have emerged are looking good.

Minnesota

Jason Obermeyer reports everything came to a halt for a week due to rain. Beans are over 80% planted. Emerged beans have severe damage due to the wide spread frost. All the corn is in and the stands looked good, although some of it suffered frost damage.

Wisconsin

Steve Bailie reports the southern part of the state got 3-4 inches of rain last week. The frost killed very few fields. About 85% of the corn is planted with great emergence, but the there is a lot of yellow corn. Nearly 60% of beans are planted in the state. Some farmers who have had their beans in the ground for 2 weeks are worried about seed rot. Alfalfa looks beautiful in his area. They had great soil conditions for planting and now they just need Mother Nature to play its role.

Central Nebraska

Steve Edwards reports that 100% of the corn has been planted in his area. Eighty percent of the beans have been planted in the eastern part of his area and about 40% are in on the western part of his area. Southeast Nebraska farmers have 100% of their soybeans in the ground. They haven’t had any problems with frost, but they did have some crusting issues.

Team Latham

May 20, 2010

General, Season, Spring
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Temperature Fluctuations May Inhibit Corn Emergence
Corn planting occurred at an all-time record this spring. In Iowa in particular, we’ve experienced one of the best planting seasons in history. Recent cool temperatures throughout the Corn Belt, however, are requiring extra close attention be paid to corn fields as those cool temperatures may have caused seedling growth problems.

We recommend farmers pay particularly close attention to corn fields planted recently, as they would be the most likely to exhibit seedling rot or poorer emergence. For those in low-lying areas, frost may have been an issue, causing leaf necrsosis and delayed growth of sprouted seeds.

Listed below are seedling growth problems to scout for:
1. Imbibitional chilling damage — the chilling effect seeds may experience when they imbibe, or absorb, water when soil temperatures are less than 55° F for an extended time. Seedlings may “corkscrew” or not emerge when exposed to cool soil temperatures. This may happen also when temperatures swing rapidly by 30° F.
2. Soil crusting — wet soil at planting or heavy rain following planting can lead to reduced plant stands. Significant stand reductions lower yield potential.
3. “Leafing out” underground — occurring most often in crusted soils (also appears with imbibitional chilling, above).
4. Variable plant emergence and reduced plant population. Variable emergence and growth will reduce yield.
Any of the situations listed above could call for a need to replant, but be sure to assess stands before making this decision.

Contact your Latham representative with any questions or click here to read more.
Team Latham

May 18, 2010

Agronomics, Disease, Emergence, General, Season, Spring
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Go Wild … Go Hunting for Asparagus and Mushrooms

As a kid, I couldn’t wait for the warm spring weather to produce wild asparagus and mushrooms. I loved trekking through the woods, in search of morels, with my dad. I also loved traipsing through the road ditches in search of tender, young asparagus. Most of all, I looked forward to eating my fill of both!

My favorite way to eat morels is dipping them in eggs, rolling them in crushed saltine crackers and frying them in real butter. If you’re lucky enough to find some yet this spring, a slew of recipe ideas is available at http://thegreatmorel.com/recipes.html.

While this year’s mushroom season is coming to an end, there is still asparagus to be harvested. One of my favorite uses for asparagus is in a casserole with ham and noodles. This easy-to-make recipe is perfect for a formal Sunday brunch or a casual weeknight supper. Give it a try and let me know what you think. Also feel free to share your favorite asparagus recipes with me. I’d love to try some new ways to fix asparagus – maybe I’ll even find one my kids will eat!

Asparagus and Ham Casserole

Ingredients

1 slice white bread (or ½ c. bread crumbs)

3 3/4 c. uncooked extra broad egg noodles

2 ½ c. sliced asparagus (1 ½”)

¼ c. all purpose flour

½ tsp. dried thyme

¼ tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1 c. whole milk

1 c. chicken broth (fat free, less sodium)

1 T. butter

¾ c. onion, finely chopped

1 T. fresh lemon juice

1 ½ c. cubed ham (1/2” square – about 8 oz)

¼ c. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 T. grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place bread into food processor, pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs form to measure ½ cup.

Cook pasta in boiling water 7 minutes, omitting salt and fat in water. Add asparagus, cook 1 minute. Drain.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife. Place flour, thyme, salt and pepper into medium bowl. Gradually add milk and broth, stirring with a whisk until well blended.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, sauté 4 minutes. Add milk mixture, cook until thick (about 4 minutes), stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Combine pasta mixture, milk mixture, ham and parsley in a large bowl, spoon into a 2-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and cheese.

Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes or until filling is bubbly and topping is golden.

Team Latham

May 14, 2010

General, Season, Spring
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Soybeans at Risk for BPMV

Soybean farmers in 16 Iowa counties may have fields at risk this summer from a soybean virus called bean pod mottle virus (BPMV), according to a model developed at Iowa State University (ISU).

Counties identified by the ISU Pre-Plant BPMV Prediction Model to be at moderate risk are: Cedar, Clinton, Des Moines, Henry, Jefferson, Johnson, Keokuk, Lee, Linn, Louisa, Marion, Muscatine, Osceola, Scott, Wapello and Wayne. All counties but Osceola are located toward the southeast part of the state.

“Soybean growers in those counties are cautioned to use recommended best management practices for bean leaf beetle control to minimize the impact of the disease,” says ISU Plant Pathologist Forrest Nutter.

In counties identified as being at risk, soybean growers should conscientiously scout to detect areas where bean leaf beetle populations may be high enough to warrant mid-season foliar insecticide control measures, noting that early planted soybean fields have higher risk of BPMV incidence.

Those growers in low-risk counties should still scout their fields routinely for bean leaf beetles, as there may have been pockets where the depth and duration of snow cover was sufficient to provide insulation for bean leaf beetles to survive.

Click here for the full release from the Iowa Soybean Association.

Team Latham

May 11, 2010

Agronomics, Disease, General, Season, Spring
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Now is optimal soybean planting time

“Early planting” has taken on a new definition for many farmers this spring as unusually warm, dry weather allowed them to finish planting corn in record time. It’s also causing some farmers to question how early to plant soybeans.

Benefits of early planted soybeans, defined as late April or early May planting, have shown to outweigh potential risks in some university studies. Research by Iowa State University shows the optimal planting dates for soybeans – if soil conditions are suitable – in the southern 2/3 of the state is the last week of April and the first week of May for the northern 1/3 of Iowa. Seventy-nine percent of the time planting in late April or early May resulted in higher yields than soybeans planted around May 20.

When determining how early to plant, the potential benefit of yield gain must be weighed against the potential risks. Planting seeds in cool soils can delay emergence and predispose soybean plants to seedling diseases. The ideal soil temperatures for soybeans is 77 degrees Fahrenheit; germination may be delayed by three weeks if the soil temperature at two inches is about 50 degrees. Cool soil temperatures may also slow root development and make seedlings more susceptible to root rotting pathogens that can cause “damping off”.

Early planting may also predispose soybean plants to infection by Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS). To reduce the risk of SDS infection, choose soybean varieties with good tolerance to that disease. Also be aware of whether the field in which the soybeans will be planted has a history of SDS.

Webspec Admin

April 27, 2010

General, Season, Spring