Better Farming |December 2023

21 Story Idea? Email Paul.Nolan@Farms.com Better Farming | December 2023 Soybean disease and lateral veins, combined with a healthy stem (unlike BSR; see below), help distinguish this from white mould and other diseases like BSR. Research has shown that SDS is more problematic if Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) is also present in fields. This is because SCN injures the root system, allowing the SDS pathogen to enter the root. If you find SDS in your fields, these are candidates for SCN soil sampling – to first confirm the presence of SCN and, if present, determine the severity for future crop planning of SCN varieties and other management practices. Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) SCN is starting to make its presence known in Eastern Canada. Although not technically a disease, its symptomology can be confusing when scouting. During its life cycle, eggs overwinter in cysts in the soil. Eggs hatch in the spring, and newly hatched nematodes move underground to penetrate the roots, setting up a feeding station. The females continue feeding on the roots after mating, thus causing entry points for other diseases, as well as causing stress to the soybean plant. Soybeans tend to be stunted, and leaves become chlorotic in nature, slowing canopy growth compared to other parts of the field. Because the soybean cysts are small (smaller than soybean nodules and about the size of a ballpoint pen tip), digging up the soybean plant and washing the roots off is advisable for analysis. Brown Stem Rot (BSR) BSR is caused by a fungus that survives in soybean residue and affects the soy- bean plant early in the season. Symptoms of leaves senescing usually do not show up until mid-August during the reproductive cycle of the Brown stem rot. Paul Hermans photo

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