Posts in Soybeans
Desiccating Soybean For Harvest In Louisiana

It is important to follow the label when applying any pesticide, including those labeled for harvest aid in soybean. Some restrictions found on harvest herbicide labels include soybean growth habit (indeterminate versus determinate), growth stage, percent mature pods and percent leaf drop. It is important to follow restrictions on spray volumes and preharvest intervals. Table 1 list herbicides that are labeled for preharvest application in soybean.

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Managing Corn Earworm Infestations In Louisiana Soybean Fields

Recently, there have been increased reports of corn earworms infesting soybean fields across the state. Corn earworm (aka bollworm or soybean podworm) can cause occasional but severe damage to soybean. The primary damage caused by corn earworm occurs during the larval stages when the insect feeds on the soybean flowers and pods. This feeding activity leads to direct yield losses as pods abort, or the larvae consume or injure developing seeds.

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Don't Forget About Nematodes When Diagnosing Irregular Patches Of Poor Soybean Growth

If you find irregular patches of soybean plants that look generally stunted, yellow, or dead, the cause could be nematodes. Generally, nematodes jeopardize the root system of the plant. Therefore, the plants will often have symptoms that mimic other maladies such as drought and nutrient deficiency. It is not uncommon to find nematodes throughout Louisiana. A recent survey (2019-2021) detected Southern root-knot nematodes in 22% of 164 fields.

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Managing Nitrogen For Corn And Soybean Crops

Nitrogen (N) is one of the most essential nutrients required for crop growth, development and reproduction. It is the building block of proteins, amino acids, chlorophyll and DNA. Plants require more nitrogen than any other mineral nutrient. Generally, the aboveground portion of the plant contains 3% to 4% nitrogen. Therefore, fertilizing with nitrogen sources is often required for maximizing crop yield and profit.

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Weather Well: Variety Screening To Protect Soybean Harvest Quality

As soybean plants reach maturity, the membrane that connects each seed to the pod starts to detach, an early step in the plant dying and drying out for harvest. After this point, the soybean seeds no longer have access to the plant’s resources.

“The plants no longer protect the drying soybean seeds, making them vulnerable to weather events,” explains David Moseley, state soybean specialist for the Louisiana State University AgCenter. “Too much rain after soybeans start drying down can cause the seeds to turn brown, reducing quality.”

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