Multiple Tactics to Improve our Understanding of Soybean Diseases

Sudden death syndrome (SDS) caused by Fusarium virguliforme is one of the top yield-reducing diseases of soybean. This disease results in a two-stage symptom development, root rot followed by foliar interveinal chlorosis and necrosis. Foliar symptoms typically appear late in the growing season [full pod to full seed (R4 to R6) reproductive growth stages]. Prior to foliar symptoms, a destructive technique is usually carried out to identify the root rot phase of SDS. This technique requires intensive crop scouting and an expert for accurate diagnosis. Therefore, a nondestructive technique is needed to diagnose SDS disease in the absence of visible foliar symptoms. Additionally, no soybean cultivar is completely resistant to SDS and no single method can completely manage this disease. So, an improved integrated approach is needed for SDS disease management. 

Foliar fungal diseases such as frogeye leaf spot (Cercospora sojina Hara), Septoria brown spot (Septoria glycines Hemmi), and Cercospora leaf blight (Cercospora spp.) are also economically important diseases of soybean. To limit the losses caused by these diseases, several management methods can be used including the application of foliar fungicide. However, due to the low foliar disease pressure that is observed most years, fungicide applications may not be warranted to be applied annually in Indiana. 

The objectives of this research were: 1) to assess the effectiveness and economic impact of integrated management strategies that include cultivar selection, seed treatment, and seeding rate on SDS in Indiana; 2) to pre-symptomatically and non-destructively detect SDS disease using hyperspectral measurements; and 3) to evaluate foliar fungicides on soybean foliar diseases and yield in Indiana. 

Results from this research support the use of a seed treatment to protect soybean roots from SDS infection and the use of a moderately resistant cultivar planted at a seeding rate of 346,535 seeds/ha to protect yield and maximize on net returns. This research also demonstrated the ability of hyperspectral reflectance to discriminate healthy from F. virguliforme infected soybean roots in the absence of foliar symptoms. In addition, results show that fungicide applications can reduce foliar disease over the nontreated control, but under low foliar disease risk, these fungicides did not significantly increase yield over the nontreated control. Altogether, these results will contribute to improved soybean disease management approaches in Indiana.