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Cody Pettit

Prepping Soybean Fields for Next Year

Much of the soybean crop is now harvested and growers are starting to finish up with their corn acres. If they haven’t started already, tillage will be the last step before winter. What is the best tillage practice to set your soybean field up for success next season? That is a very loaded question—let us look at the value of surface residue cover to help us find the answer. Benefits of surface cover residue                                           Drawbacks to surface cover residue [...]

By |October 24, 2020|

Harvest Scouting Priorities

With harvest starting on some early maturing varieties, soybean yields are on a lot of growers’ minds. This year Illinois experienced a large feeding frenzy by Bean Leaf Beetle in many areas that called for late application of insecticide, but what else could explain loss in yield? Apart from June planted beans, little can be done at this point to help retain yield, but there are a few things to scout for in order to help explain some problem areas that you might encounter this fall or possibly next year. Insects & diseases Final stand counts Stressed areas Soybean [...]

By |September 28, 2020|

Is That SDS?

Growers are learning that planting earlier soybeans can bump yields, but the last several years in Illinois have been wet and cold and that comes with a cost: the risk of infection from Sudden death syndrome (SDS) and other early infecting fungal diseases. We see soybeans start to yellow too early and want to automatically assume we have SDS in our fields, but that’s not always the case. There are a few other soybean diseases that look very similar to SDS and we should properly identify what is occurring in our fields. Some diseases that could cause early yellowing: [...]

By |August 31, 2020|

PODCAST: Protecting Soybean Pod Fill

Cody Pettit, CCA Soy Envoy and Pioneer field agronomist, joins the podcast this week to discuss soybean growth stages and how to protect pod fill during crucial time periods. We take a look at soybean growth stages, how to identify which growth stage your plant is in, and common pests and diseases that could negatively impact your soybean pod fill and ultimately yield. Listen to learn more. ILSoyAdvisor Podcasts · Protecting Soybean Pod Fill

By |July 30, 2020|

Dry Conditions and Yield Predictions

We know what happens when soybeans are planted in dry conditions, they simply cannot germinate. That has not been the case this past spring, but now we are looking at some hot weather in the forecast. This year’s planting conditions made for a slow start on soybeans and they are relatively shorter than what we are used too, so how will soybeans respond? Until recently we did not receive a lot of moisture in many parts of Illinois. That, coupled with a tough May, did not allow for much soybean growth. During vegetative growth, soybeans can withstand moisture stress [...]

By |July 27, 2020|

Negotiating Nutrient Needs – Soybean Nodulation

Nitrogen nutrient requirements for soybeans are much less than they are for corn (total volume/acre). Why is that? Soybeans require every essential nutrient that other row crops do, but they can “produce” their own nitrogen (N). Like a few other plants, soybeans are a legume crop, which means they form a symbiotic relationship with Bradyrhizobium bacteria that use the plant sugars in return for nitrogen. Nodules forming on soybean roots. Credit: United Soybean Board First, let’s start with what this will look like on the soybean roots. The process is initially started by the root when it releases compounds [...]

By |June 29, 2020|

It’s Never too Late in the Fight Against Weeds

When Roundup Ready® soybeans were introduced, times were good. You could schedule your spray application from the calendar and not think twice about whether your fields were going to stay clean. Mother Nature has since prevailed, showing scientists who is boss and showing us what we’ve been taking for granted. In the perfect scenario you would see a weed-free field with an ideal spring, but that’s not so common anymore. We now must take extra time and effort to find that right weed control program. Waterhemp escapes in a soybean field. Photo courtesy of University of Illinois. There is [...]

By |May 22, 2020|

Early Bean Gets the Worm

There is no doubt that each year growers are testing the limits of early planted soybeans. Although most talk about the risk of disease and frost, insects are also a large factor that could hinder the overall yield potential. Early season insects in soybeans can be an economic issue if they are not taken seriously, but there are a few steps to take to help mitigate a potential loss. Wireworms feed on the soybean seed or newly developed roots. What pests are an issue in Illinois?  Seed corn maggot White grubs Wireworms Grape colaspis larvae Bean leaf beetle Early season [...]

By |April 21, 2020|
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