Tips for Managing Continuous Soybeans

“Like continuous corn, soybeans following soybeans have special pest challenges and nutritional requirements farmers need to address throughout the season,” says Mark Glady, regional agronomist, WinField. Glady offers the following tips to help farmers capture optimum yield potential from continuous soybean fields.
- Check for soybean cyst nematode (SCN)
- Protect against early-season diseases
Last spring’s wet, cool conditions in many areas set the stage for heavy disease pressure in soybean fields. With inoculum from diseases such as Rhizoctonia, Pythium and Phytophthora remaining on soybean plant material after harvest, this infected residue presents a serious disease threat for next year’s soybean crop. “Using a seed treatment may provide the best defense against disease damage and insect damage,” Glady notes.
- Minimize weed competition
- Don’t ignore fertility needs
To determine accurate plant nutrient levels, Glady recommends taking a soil sample in the fall or spring, while there’s still time to replenish deficient nutrients before the season begins. In-season, he advises tissue sampling soybean plants at key growth stages (V4, R1 and R3) and applying deficient nutrients if needed before yield potential is jeopardized.
Contact your WinField representative for more information about growing continuous soybeans in your area.
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