NDSU Soybean Iron Deficiency Chlorosis Scores Available

Sep 25, 2024

By Ana Carcedo and Carrie Miranda

This year presented a significant challenge for soybean producers due to cool and wet conditions causing prolonged iron deficiency chlorosis (IDC) symptoms in North Dakota soybean fields, says Ana Carcedo, North Dakota State University Extension broadleaf crops agronomist.

NDSU conducts annual research on soybean varieties to determine their tolerance to IDC. This information is crucial for farmers who deal with IDC in their fields annually. Choosing soybean varieties less susceptible to IDC is the first step in addressing this issue, advises Carcedo.

According to Carrie Miranda, NDSU soybean breeder, "Soybean varieties exhibit genetic differences in their tolerance to IDC symptoms. Producers can use the NDSU data to choose an appropriate IDC-tolerant soybean variety for fields known to have IDC issues in the 2025 season. Selecting a soybean variety with IDC tolerance is an important management decision that can help producers minimize the negative impact of chlorosis on yield."

In the summer of 2024, NDSU's soybean breeding program evaluated 170 Enlist, GT27, Roundup Ready, and Xtend soybean varieties, along with 21 conventional varieties for IDC tolerance.

IDC symptoms include yellowing of plant leaves with green veins, as well as yellowing, browning, and stunted growth during the early stages, leading to reduced soybean yields. The test results are based on replicated trials conducted in a location with a history of IDC. Visual ratings were made on a 1 to 5 scale, with 1 indicating no chlorosis and 5 indicating the most severe chlorosis. Ratings were recorded at three different soybean growth stages.

Source : ndsu.edu

Video: Root Exudates, Soil Biology, and How Plants Recruit Microbes | Field Talk Friday

Field Talk Friday | Dr. John Murphy | Root Exudates, Soil Biology, and How Plants Recruit Microbes

Most of us spend our time managing what we can see above ground—plant height, leaf color, stand counts, and yield potential. But the deeper you dig into agronomy, the more you realize that some of the most important processes driving crop performance are happening just millimeters below the surface.

In this episode of Field Talk Friday, Dr. John Murphy continues the soil biology series by diving into one of the most fascinating topics in modern agronomy: root exudates and the role they play in shaping the microbial world around plant roots.

Roots are not passive structures simply pulling nutrients out of the soil. They are active participants in the underground ecosystem. Plants constantly release compounds into the soil—sugars, amino acids, organic acids, and other molecules—that act as both energy sources and signals for soil microbes.