By Dr. David Moseley & Stephen Ippolito
LSU AgCenter
There have been several cases of green stem reported in mature (R8) soybean fields. A Science for Success factsheet (Understanding Green Stem in Soybeans) explains that green stem is a disorder where the stems of a soybean plant stay green after the pods have fully matured. The exact cause of green stem is unknown. However, it is generally associated with any factor that reduces pod and seed development. This is because the developing seeds are the "sinks" that draw nutrients from the plant's "sources" like the leaves and stems.