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Check Fields For SCN Before Finalizing Seed
Selection
Farmers should make plans to check fields for soybean
cyst nematode (SCN) this fall before buying seed for 2009, recommend
experts in top soybean-producing states. The reason is to avoid
unnecessary yield loss from SCN, even in fields likely to be planted to
SCN-resistant varieties.
“We’re now seeing a big shift in field nematode populations toward
soybean varieties that used to be resistant to SCN but are not as
reliable in their resistance as they once were,” explains Jamal
Faghihi, Purdue University Extension nematologist. “This is a big
change. Farmers may no longer obtain the same level of resistance in
many of the varieties that they’ve used in the past.”
Purdue recently participated in a two-year SCN study with Illinois,
Tennessee and Ontario, with funding from the North Central Soybean
Research Program (NCSRP), says Faghihi. “About 97% of the
SCN-resistant varieties grown in these areas have the same source of
resistance (PI88788), and we are finding that this source of resistance
is breaking down,” he warns.
SCN-resistant varieties can gradually lose their resistance, confirms
Bob Heinz, who coordinates the University of Missouri nematology lab in
Columbia. “If you grow soybeans with the same source of SCN resistance
from year to year, then you may see SCN populations start to build up on
your resistant lines,” he says. “Over time, you could lose yield,
even on soybeans that are supposed to be resistant.”
As soybeans undergo stress, SCN symptoms become more apparent, points
out Faghihi. “The symptoms are usually yellow patches of stunted
beans,” he says. “Yield reductions can be as high as 50-60%,
depending on the cultivar’s degree of resistance and the stress level
on the crop.”
In the Eastern Corn Belt, soybeans experienced plenty of stress this
summer due to inadequate rainfall in August and flooding and saturated
soils in spring, says Faghihi. As a result, SCN symptoms are more
obvious in soybeans this year than in past years.
Thus, soybean growers should have a better idea which fields need to be
checked for SCN this fall. “The main thing is to sample your problem
fields to see if you have high SCN egg counts,” advises Faghihi. “In
fields with high egg counts, I would highly recommend doing an HG-type
or a race test, especially if it’s never been done in that field
before. These more advanced SCN tests can be performed at Purdue, and
they will categorize the nematode populations in your fields by their
genetics.”
Once you determine which HG-types or races are most abundant in your
fields, you can find a cultivar that is resistant to those populations,
explains Faghihi. “There are now two sources of SCN resistance
available to soybean growers besides PI88788,” he says. “They are
the Peking source and PI437654, which is the parent variety of Hartwig
and CystX varieties.”
A yield benefit will likely result by rotating the source of SCN
resistance in problem fields, says Heinz. “In Missouri, the two
choices are the Hartwig source, or CystX varieties, and the Peking
source,” he says. “Some of these new sources are proving to be
pretty good yielding beans.”
Fall is the best time to check fields for SCN, adds Heinz. “Paying $15
for an egg count is a really good investment, especially now that
soybeans are selling for more than $11/bu.,” he says. “However, the
key is to get your results back before you make your decisions about
seed and crop selection for next year.”
Farmers who rotate soybeans after corn should be checking corn fields
for SCN soon after harvest, recommends Tom Hillyer, Hillyer
Agriservices, Inc., West Liberty, IA, who monitors clients’ fields in
the southeastern part of the state. “Typically, we test where our
clients are going to have soybeans, not where they’ve just had
beans,” he explains. “However, we’ll also check areas of soybean
fields where beans are stunted to see if the problem is SCN or something
else. In fields with an SCN egg count greater than 10,000/100 cc of
soil, it’s clear we may be seeing a race shift.”
Where egg counts are excessive, Hillyer sends samples to Iowa State
University to have HG-type tests done. “I’m trying to manage SCN
populations for my clients by rotating problem fields to corn for one or
two years and by using different types of SCN resistance in the soybean
varieties that they plant,” he says. “We will also dig roots in July
to see if our resistant varieties are working.”
Running an HG-type or a race test whenever the egg count exceeds 10,000
eggs/100 cc of soil is also a good rule of thumb in Missouri, says
Heinz. “I’d recommend picking a field that has not produced up to
par and sampling that one for eggs,” he says. “If you find that you
have a serious SCN problem, then I’d invest in a $50 HG-type test
($100 for out-of-state samples) and find out which sources of resistance
are best for controlling your field population of SCN.”
This year’s flooding during spring and again in September may have
spread SCN to fields that didn’t have them before, points out Heinz.
As a result, farmers should remain vigilant and sample fields regularly,
he says.
For more information on SCN management, click here:
By John Pocock
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New SCN
Scouting Video
Don’t be fooled by healthy-looking soybean plants.
They can still suffer from soybean cyst nematode (SCN), says Iowa State
University Plant Pathologist and Nematologist Greg Tylka.
For step-by-step video instruction on how to inspect your soybean roots
for telltale female SCN eggs, go to Check For Soybean Cyst Nematodes.
Tylka says that these female eggs are visible on infected soybean roots
anytime between five or six weeks post planting and August.
For a selection of Corn & Soybean Digest videos on topics that
help to improve your profitability, point your Web browser to cornandsoybeandigest.com/tv/.
Source: Iowa State University
Extension
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Corn And Soybean Prices May Hinge On
Financial Markets
Developments in the financial markets could have
implications for the demand prospects for corn and soybeans, says Darrel
Good, a University of Illinois Extension marketing specialist.
“If problems in those markets lead to weakening U.S. and world
economies, the demand for both food and energy could also weaken with
direct implications for corn and soybean prices,” says Good.
“Similarly, any evidence that those financial issues have been
adequately addressed and the worst is over would suggest a more stable
demand scenario.”
Good's comments came as he reviewed corn and soybean prices that
continue to be influenced by a wide array of factors, resulting in a
very unstable price pattern. Over the past week, December 2008 corn
futures traded in a range of 55¢. In the past seven trading sessions,
November 2008 soybean futures traded in a range of about $1.20.
“On a daily basis, prices have been influenced by changes in the value
of the U.S. dollar, changes in crude oil prices, export news, weather
and production expectations, and developments in financial markets,”
he says. “In general, a weakening of the U.S. dollar has been viewed
as positive for export prospects and therefore for prices of corn and
soybeans. A strengthening of the dollar has been viewed as a negative
for both.”
To continue reading this article on the tie between financial markets
and grain prices, click here: www.aces.uiuc.edu/news.
Source: University of Illinois
Extension
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Row Crop Market
Report
The years to make the easy profits were 2007 and 2008.
Beyond that represents a return to the commodity world's typical
approach. You'll need to grind out a profit through superior management
and discipline in the year ahead.
The good news is that money is still there to be made. Don't be blinded
by the dollars. Take a look at the input-output ratios, and you'll see
that the market is simply tightening up to the standard ratios.
Easy money never lasts. Just ask the Wall Street crowd, but there is
always money to be made. To read more from Swanson on his latest outlook
for row-crop markets, click here: www.wellsfargo.com/com/research.
By Michael Swanson, Wells Fargo Bank
|
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Potential
Proven High Performance. In four years of field trials,
Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybeans yielded 7 to 11 percent higher*
than Roundup Ready® soybeans.
Power in the Pod™. More beans per pod mean more bushels
for more profit potential per acre.
Discover Roundup Ready 2 Yield.
RoundupReady2Yield.com
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Test Soil For Better Economic And
Environmental Results
Prices for nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium
(K) are high, so corn and soybean growers need to make certain that
fertilizer is placed correctly for the 2009 growing season.
Dan Kaiser, University of Minnesota Extension soil scientist, encourages
growers to take soil samples as a best management practice. “If taken
the right way, soil sampling can be a valuable tool in managing
crops,” he says.
Kaiser makes the following soil sampling recommendations:
- Save time by testing for P and K levels in soybean fields ahead of
harvest. There may be some fluctuations in soil tests throughout the
season, but that should not matter as much if you sample at the same
time every time within a field.
- Time soil samples for N when temperatures move below 50° F for best
results. When soil temperatures are warmer, N mineralization occurs and
the soil test may not accurately report N levels. If that is the case,
you may actually wind up over-applying fertilizer, which can add up to
quite a few dollars per acre with today's prices. With fertilizer
needing to be booked early, it may be difficult to wait, but it is still
best to get accurate results from a soil sample.
- Take soil samples to gauge the need for micronutrients. However, for
sulfur, a 0-6-in. soil sample is not a reliable test except in sandy
coarse-textured soils.
- Remember only 1-2 grams of soil will be tested out of a soil sample.
Any contamination can severely affect the results, potentially causing
fertilizer to be under- or over-applied. Be sure to bring in a high
quality sample for testing.
More information on soil testing is found on Kaiser's blog located at AgBuzz.com. AgBuzz is a cooperative
blogging effort of University of Minnesota Extension and Minnesota Farm
Guide.
Source: University of Minnesota
Extension
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ASA Applauds Senate Passage Of Biodiesel Tax
Credit Extension
The American Soybean Association (ASA) applauds the
U.S. Senate for passage of the Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act of
2008. The bill includes a one year extension of the biodiesel tax
credit, which is a top priority for the ASA and the nation's soybean
farmers. The biodiesel tax credit was scheduled to expire on Dec. 31,
2008. The bill was overwhelmingly approved by the Senate on a vote of
93-2, and it now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.
“The American Soybean Association greatly appreciates the work of the
Senate to extend the biodiesel tax credit,” says ASA President John
Hoffman, a soybean producer from Waterloo, IA. “Passage of this
legislation to extend the biodiesel tax credit enhances the viability of
the U.S. biodiesel industry, which is an important market for U.S.
soybean farmers. ASA now urges House members to swiftly pass the measure
and send it to the president to be signed into law.”
In 2007 alone, U.S. biodiesel production displaced 20 million barrels of
petroleum. The U.S. biodiesel industry supports over 20,000 jobs and
added over $4 billion to the economy last year. Biodiesel is also a
cleaner-burning fuel that reduces carbon lifecycle emissions by 78% --
the equivalent of removing 700,000 cars from the nation's roadways.
To learn more about ASA and the Senate’s recent extension of the
biodiesel tax credit, click here: www.soygrowers.com/newsroom/news.htm.
Source: American Soybean Association
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Soybean Checkoff Looks To Address
Transportation Challenges
Weather has been a challenge for many soybean
producers this season, with heavy rains and flooding affecting much of
the soybean-growing area. Besides the impact on soybean production, the
weather has had additional effects on the transportation of soybeans.
Even before the recent weather problems, the soybean checkoff began
partnering with other soybean industry groups to investigate
transportation challenges.
With transportation becoming a more critical issue in the eyes of
soybean farmers, the soybean checkoff decided to partner with the
American Soybean Association (ASA) and seven other state soybean
associations to form the Soy Transportation Coalition (STC). The
partnering states include Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, North
Dakota, Ohio and South Dakota. The National Grain & Feed Association and
the National Oilseed Processors are ex-officio members of the
organization.
The STC partnership strives to provide information and education on
behalf of the U.S. soybean industry on transportation issues to help
enhance the global positioning and profitability of U.S. soybeans. To
Learn more about STC, click here: www.soytransportation.org/.
To read the latest news from the USB, click here: www.unitedsoybean.org.
Source: United Soybean Board
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Fall Herbicide Applications For Winter Annual
Weed Control
Winter annual weeds are a growing issue in Nebraska
row crops. The increase in winter annual prevalence is likely, in part,
due to:
- Reduced use of residual pre-emergence herbicides in glyphosate based
cropping systems.
- A shift to total postemergence herbicide programs, primarily based
on glyphosate.
- An increase in the adoption of no-till practices.
Numerous winter annual weed species are present in Nebraska fields. An
excellent North Central Region publication on winter annual
identification is available online in PDF at: extension.missouri.edu/explorepdf.
Winter annuals begin germination in early fall as temperatures cool,
commonly from mid-September through November. They then overwinter and
complete their life cycle by mid-summer. Most of the broadleaf species
have a rosette growth habit when young. Because the seedlings are small
and grow close to the ground, they are easily overlooked with a casual
scouting.
An excellent time to scout is during harvest. When you get out of the
combine, take a moment and look at the soil for small germinating
plants.
To continue reading this article on winter annual weed control, click
here: cropwatch.unl.edu/.
By Lowell Sandell, Mark Bernards and Stevan
Knezevic, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension
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ASA Announces College Scholarship Opportunity
For High School Seniors
The American Soybean Association (ASA) will again
offer the Secure Optimal Yield (SOY) Scholarship for the 2009-2010
school year.
The SOY Scholarship is a one-time $5,000 award ($2,500 each semester,
pending qualifications met) to an eligible high school senior who plans
to declare agriculture as a degree area of study at any accredited
college or university of their choice. The award is to be used directly
for tuition, fees, books, not to exceed $2,500/semester, and not to
exceed tuition amount with other fee dedicated aid. Deadline to apply is
Nov. 15, 2008.
For more information about ASA’s student scholarship program, click
here: www.soygrowers.com/newsroom.
Source: American Soybean Association
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Climate Change
Consequences
Scientists have much to learn about predicting future
climate conditions, particularly when calculating change for certain
regions on the earth's globe, says Elwynn Taylor, Iowa State University
Extension climatologist. Yet, he also warns that both long- and
short-term warming and cooling cycles signal potential troubles ahead
for Corn Belt crop production.
“Long term, we've had a natural warming that's been going on for about
20,000 years, since the last glaciers melted from on top of Des
Moines,” says Taylor.
“More recently, our climate has been going through 90-year, short-term
warming and cooling cycles,” he says.
If history repeats itself, Taylor says the next 90-year warming cycle
would likely peak in 2025. “We haven't had any year as bad as 1936
since 1936 -- when the last 90-year warming cycle peaked,” he
explains. “However, the effect that people are now having on our
climate might speed up the cycle a bit.”
More intense summer heat for the region -- either man-made or natural --
would be detrimental to corn production, warns Jerry Hatfield, a
supervisory plant physiologist at the National Soil Tilth Research
Laboratory, Ames, IA. He notes that the corn plant is more vulnerable to
extreme heat than other row crops, such as soybeans.
“In the Corn Belt, if this (global warming) trend continues, we could
see significantly reduced corn yields in the next 30-50 years,” says
Hatfield. “As global warming increases, the Corn Belt would likely
encounter much higher temperatures during the pollination phase of corn
plant development than in (more temperate) years. We would likely see
the daytime high temperatures above 95° F, which is lethal to corn
pollination. We would also have higher nighttime temperatures and
respiration rates, which would result in smaller grain size and less
grain fill.”
Rising temperatures and CO2 levels in the traditional Corn/Soybean Belt
would likely boost -- rather than deflate -- soybean yields compared to
corn if rainfall remains ample, adds Hatfield. “Soybeans respond well
to high CO2 levels by increasing photosynthesis and production,” he
explains. “Temperatures aren't lethal to pollination in soybeans until
they reach 104° F.”
To continue reading this article about how increased global warming
could cause a shift in corn and soybean acres, click here: cornandsoybeandigest.com/ag-issues/soybean_climate_change_consequences/.
By John Pocock
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Weather Wonders: Once In A Blue
Moon?
When an event is extremely rare, people sometimes say,
“That only happens once in a blue moon.” But what does that actually
mean?
“A blue moon is the second full moon that appears in a single
month,” says Mary Knapp, state climatologist for Kansas. “We see one
at least every few years. In 2003, we had two.”
Knapp -- who runs the Kansas Weather Data Library, based with Kansas
State University Research and Extension -- says folklore holds that this
second full moon gets its name because early almanacs used blue ink to
indicate when to expect one.
“Strangely enough, though, history says our moon has actually appeared
to be blue. When the Krakatoa volcano erupted in the 1800s, it put so
much ash into the atmosphere that it changed Earth’s seasons for a
year,” she points out. “Early on, sunsets were so vivid that New
York called out its fire department. And, for weeks, the sun looked
green and the moon was blue -- truly rare events.”
More information about Kansas weather and the Weather Data Library is
available on the Web at www.oznet.ksu.edu/wdl/.
Source: K-State Research & Extension
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Even Moderate Amounts Of Soyfoods Reduce
Cholesterol Levels
For the estimated one in two adult Americans with
elevated cholesterol levels, there is good news: Eating soy burgers,
tofu and other soyfoods is a tasty way to lower both the total amount of
cholesterol in the bloodstream and the so-called “bad” low-density
lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol that leads to heart attack and stroke.
The latest evidence, promoted during National Cholesterol Education
Month, comes from a review of 35 high-quality studies published over a
10-year period (1998-2008) where soy protein was consumed by healthy
adults aged 25-65 years. Conducted by Arline McDonald, adjunct assistant
professor in the department of preventive medicine at Northwestern
University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, this exhaustive review finds
even moderate consumption of soy products -- in the range of 20-50 grams
of soy protein daily -- reduced LDL cholesterol levels by 4-6% and total
cholesterol by 3-5% beyond what can be achieved through a fat-modified
diet alone. These reductions were observed in premenopausal and
postmenopausal women, in young adults (25-30 years), middle-aged adults
(30-60 years) and adults aged 60 and older. From a public health
perspective, a 3% reduction in LDL cholesterol reduces mortality by 6%.
To continue reading this article on the benefits of eating a diet rich
in soyfoods, click here: www.soyfoods.org/pr/even-moderate-amounts-of-soyfoods-reduce-cholesterol-levels-promote-heart-health.
Source: Soyfoods Association of North
America
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A Note From The Soybean E-Digest
Editor: Reasons For Optimism?
Reading recent news reports of a faltering financial
industry, rising input costs and concerns with less-than-average yields
in major portions of the eastern Corn Belt may be more than a little
discouraging for some of you. On the other hand, if you have reason for
optimism as a soybean grower, despite these challenges this fall, I’d
like to hear from you.
When writing, please let me know your name, where you farm or work, what
your reasons for optimism are as you prepare for soybean harvest and
whether or not I have permission to use your comment in a future
Soybean E-Digest newsletter. You can contact me (John Pocock)
at: john.pocock@penton.com.
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