Soybean seedling

This year, soybeans are going into the soil quicker than usual – more than 10% quicker to be precise.

On June 6, the USDA reported 90% of soybeans across 18 states have been planted, compared to the 2016-2020 average of 79%. While earlier planting can lead to higher yield potential, it can also mean a higher risk of disease development as you plant into cool, wet soils.

No matter when your soybeans are planted, make sure you have a plan to protect them against both seedling and foliar diseases.

Seedling Diseases

Soybean seedling diseases are a common and significant problem throughout most of the Southeast, especially in vulnerable, early-planted soybeans. The University of Minnesota Extension says early-season diseases like Pythium and Phytophthora can attack soybean seedlings before the plants even emerge, resulting in replanting and production losses.

To protect your young soybeans from these yield threats, you need a powerful seed treatment to help your crop emerge quickly and evenly. While you may have already treated your soybean seeds this season, keep these recommendations in mind for 2022.

Offering powerful protection against early-season insects and diseases, CruiserMaxx® Vibrance®  seed treatment optimizes root health, stress tolerance and plant vigor to help soybeans start the season strong.

For protection against Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS), upgrade to Saltro® fungicide seed treatment. Saltro delivers upgraded SDS protection, robust nematode activity and higher potential yield – all without early-season stress. On average, under SDS pressure, Saltro delivers a 4 bushel-per-acre yield advantage over ILEVO®*.

Saltro combined with CruiserMaxx Vibrance offers the best protection available for early‐season insects, diseases and nematodes to help you start the season strong at emergence and yield strong at harvest. And after you upgrade your SDS protection, join the Saltro Upgrade Challenge to see what other upgrades you could earn this season.

Foliar Diseases

Once planting is complete, make sure you stay ahead of foliar diseases that thrive as the weather warms up such as brown spot and frogeye leaf spot (FELS). Brown spot can cause yield losses from 8-15%, and FELS can cause up to 30% yield loss.

Both of these yield-reducing foliar diseases are difficult to manage past a certain growth stage, so you need to be proactive in your disease management plan to protect your soybeans. To stay ahead of tough diseases, be sure to scout early and often. And, plan ahead for a preventive fungicide application.

We recommend including Miravis® Top fungicide as part of your disease management program. With 2 effective modes of action, Miravis Top is custom-built to help manage the toughest soybean diseases, including brown spot, FELS and more. In addition to effective control, Miravis Top delivers plant-health benefits you can depend on to help boost your yield and profit potential. See how Miravis Top has performed in trials near you at BoostYourBushels.com.

When you make your disease management plans, keep agronomics and your profitability goal in mind. Instead of committing to a season-long deal that may limit your choices, make sure you’re getting the most ROI potential out of your input options. With upgraded SDS protection from Saltro and custom-built disease control from Miravis Top, the math will show that better yield is the better deal for your soybeans.

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Product performance assumes disease presence. Performance assessments are based upon results or analysis of public information, field observations and/or Syngenta evaluations. Trials reflect treatment rates commonly recommended in the marketplace.

^*U.S. trials with SDS pressure; 2015 – 2019. Trial locations: AR, IL, IA, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, TN, WI. Trials with significantly different disease incidence/severity rating between Check and SDS treatment.

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