Iron Deficiency Chlorosis (IDC) is a term becoming more familiar with soybean producers in the region.
The condition is caused by an overabundance of lime in the topsoil and is made worse during wet conditions. IDC interferes with the ability of a soybean plant to take up iron from the soil and to move it around inside the plant. This causes the upper leaves on the plant to turn yellow, with the potential to severely affect yields.
Dr. Jay Goos is a professor of soil science at North Dakota State University (NDSU) in Fargo.
He explained the best ways to combat the condition.
"By far, the most strong control measure is planting a variety that is resistant to Iron Defiency Chlorosis. There are other things you can do; you can increase your seeding rate, you can use a foliar spray, you can use an iron fertilizer but none of those...can turn a bad variety into a good variety."
Source : Portageonline