Sudden Death Syndrome in Dodge County

1.  Scouting fields for Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS):

• Scout soybean fields this month to determine if you have SDS (How do I know? Look at the three figures below and read about symptoms)
• If you do not identify SDS in your field and have not in the past, manage the field as you normally have.
• If you have a history of SDS or identified it for the first time in a field this year, then start making plans for next year.

2. I found SDS in my field, now what?

• First, make a note and keep it in your records for later reference of which fields and where in the field symptoms for SDS were visible.
• Avoid moving infested soil from field to field
• Meet with seed dealer prior to ordering seed to get company recommended varieties for higher SDS tolerance/resistance.
• Consider these more tolerant varieties for planting in nearby fields for 2015 and definitely back into the problem field in 2016.
• Improve field drainage and minimize soil compaction if possible.
• Push this problem field later in the order for planting.
• Fungicide seed treatments are not effective against the fungicide that causes SDS.
• If have a field history of SDS and have been planting more tolerant/resistance varieties and still running into problems,: consider moving to corn-corn-soybean rotation and adding tillage ahead of the soybean crop.

Figure 1. An area within a field with SDS in the Elkhorn River Valley.

Figure 2. Foliar symptoms of SDS.

Figure 3. SDS will have a white healthy pith inside the stem unlike brown stem rot.