By Andi Anderson
While the soybean season may seem to be over, it's important to continue scouting your fields right up until harvest. Steve Gauck, a regional agronomy manager for Beck's, says there are a few reasons for this.
First, you may still be able to make adjustments to your management plan closer to harvest than you realize. For example, if you see a high number of stinkbugs in your field, you may want to consider treating them.
Second, late-season scouting can help you evaluate how your management decisions for the year worked. For example, if you didn't apply fungicide to your field, you can look for signs of diseases. This information can help you make better decisions for next year.
Here are some specific things to look for during late-season soybean scouting:
- Insects: Stinkbugs are one insect to be on the lookout for. They can suck the sap out of individual beans inside pods, and they can also open the door for secondary disease infections. If you see 40 or more stinkbugs per 100 sweeps with a sweep net, you may want to consider treatment.
- Diseases: Late-season scouting is also a good time to evaluate for diseases. Some common diseases to watch for include sudden death syndrome and frogeye leaf spot. If you see any signs of disease, it's important to identify the specific disease so that you can take appropriate management steps next year.
- Moisture level: If you have irrigation available, you may want to consider using it later in the season, especially if it's dry. Gauck says irrigation can pay dividends up to 50% yellow leaves.
By continuing to scout your soybean fields right up until harvest, you can identify and address any potential problems, and you can also collect valuable information that can help you make better management decisions in the future.
Photo Credit: istock-oticki
Categories: Indiana, Crops, Soybeans