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Pioneer Talks Crops
Best Practices To Protect Your Growing Season
GREG PFEFFER
DEXTER, MO.
Welcome to DuPont Pioneer Talks Crops. This information is provided by the Pioneer agronomist serving your community.
Rain has been the main story for many parts of the North Delta this year. Just last week there were some areas that received more than six inches of rain, causing large amounts of flooding. Soybean replants will be high in these areas, and will also have a very late planting date.
It will be extremely important to scout late-planted soybean fields regularly for insects and disease. Japanese beetles, stinkbugs, and bean leaf beetles may be an issue in these late planted fields. Also, be on the lookout for fall armyworms, corn earworms, green looper, and clover worms. Since the soybean crop is later this year, insects will be hitting them earlier than normal in the life of the plant.
The University of Missouri states that thresholds for insect control before bloom is 30 percent leaf defoliation, and from bloom to maturity is 20 percent leaf defoliation or 10 percent pod damage. Soybeans are not able to compensate as well during reproductive stages, so the thresholds are lower. Use a labeled insecticide for control of these insect species. Pay particular attention to new insecticides that provide extended residual for worm species.
It also may be time for fungicide applications for plant health in early-planted soybeans. Most fungicide companies state that the optimum timing for a plant health application of fungicides on soybeans is at the R3 stage of development. This is determined by inspecting the top four reproductive nodes of the plant for a one-quarter inch pod.
I recommend that growers carefully consider using a fungicide with a dual mode of action as a good practice to slow the development of disease resistance to fungicides. Several growers have applied an insecticide simultaneously to take advantage of the application made for the fungicide, but be careful to scout for insects to make sure what type of insects are present and if an insecticide is even needed based on the level of infestation and damage.
Resistance management applies to insects as well, so good management practices should be used. Choose an insecticide for the target species in order to save beneficial insects when possible. ∆
GREG PFEFFER: Agronomist for Pioneer, Dexter, Missouri
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