By SUSAN BLOWER
Indiana Correspondent

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — An upside to the near-record dry summer is that soybeans are being harvested well ahead of schedule, with at least 20 percent in Indiana already done, as of last week.

“It is well ahead of the usual. Three percent is the five-year average for the same date (Sept. 19),” said Kif Hurlbut, agricultural statistician for the USDA.

Not only are soybeans early, but the dry weather hasn’t seemed to impact yields. As of Sept. 1, USDA was projecting an average of 50 bushels per acre.

“We’ll have a better idea by the first or second week of October when the new yield survey will give us more data,” Hurlbut said.
That yield projection may be a little high, said Shaun Casteel, soybean specialist for Purdue Extension.

He believes the dry weather will lower the moisture content and cause the yields to be somewhat below the 50-60 bushel range.
“The early-planted beans escaped most of the heat and water stress in August. Those are what have been coming off in the last few weeks, and yields have been good. The next set did experience heat and water stress,” Casteel said.

The beans planted in early spring were able to set pods before the July-August drought, so the number of pods was not altered. However, those pods still depend on moisture to fill out, Casteel said.

The size of the beans and their moisture content are still the questionable aspects of the equation.

“Anecdotally, I have heard of moisture levels as low as 8 percent,” Casteel said.

He said the ideal moisture content is about 13 percent.

SDS and Brown Stem Rot

Another factor affecting yields is the presence of Sudden Death Syndrome and Brown Stem Rot, which have been spotted this year.
Yield losses are hard to predict, said Kiersten Wise, crop disease expert for Purdue. However, the variety and growth stage of the crop when symptoms first appear are critical.

While the early-planted crops benefitted from cooler, moist tempertures, those same factors can contribute to disease. SDS typically strikes early-planted soybeans, like those planted this year in April or early May, Wise said.

The first symptoms, yellowing and discoloration of the upper leaves, usually appear in areas with wet, compacted soil. “There are several management practices that may prevent SDS damage, but once its symptoms are present, there is not much that can be done,” Wise said.

Management would include planting varieties that are less susceptible to SDS in fields with a history of the disease, Wise said. Planting those fields last and avoiding compaction may reduce the risk of SDS.

Brown stem rot can resemble SDS. Producers should split the lower stem to determine which disease is present, Wise said. BSR results in dark brown discoloring of the pith at the lower nodes of the plant, while plants with SDS will remain white at the pith and gray or brown at the cortex.

“It is important to determine if the diseases are present in fields and, if they are, keep good field notes to identify problem areas and plan to manage these fields accordingly the next time soybeans are planted in these fields,” Wise said.