As growers approach the end of summer, many common soybean diseases and pests begin to make their presence known. Monitoring soybean fields for agronomic issues, such as brown stem rot, soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Phytophthora root rot, iron chlorosis, white mold and sudden death syndrome (SDS), will help growers make better soybean seed selections for 2007.

“Mother Nature has been known to throw a few curve balls, so soybean variety selection cannot be based solely on yield,” says Don Schafer, soybean product line manager for Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.

To improve soybean variety selection, Schafer recommends growers scout and keep records of agronomic issues by field throughout the growing season.

“Field history is the best tool to guide the selection process, especially when growers rotate crops from year to year,” says Schafer. “Based on field records, a grower can weigh his options and select varieties that are resistant to specific known agronomic issues - keeping a devastating situation at bay.”

Diseases are undoubtedly the biggest obstacle to achieving top soybean yields. SCN, SDS, white mold and Phytophthora root rot are just a sample of the myriad of diseases that can cause significant soybean yield reductions.

“To overcome these problems, identify which diseases are present in your fields, determine how severely they are impacting your crop and choose an appropriate management option,” says Schafer. “Variety selection and crop rotation are the best tools available to counter most disease threats.”

To assist with the identification process, growers can contact their local Pioneer sales representative or their local county Extension agent.

Pioneer combines agronomic traits

Pioneer offers a lineup of soybean varieties that feature high-value agronomic traits - including improved tolerance and resistance to major pests and diseases such as SCN, SDS, brown stem rot, Phytophthora root rot, iron chlorosis and white mold. Most of the Pioneer^® brand soybeans offer multiple agronomic traits plus the Roundup Ready^® gene.

“Just 10 years ago, it was extremely difficult to develop products that combined more than one agronomic trait in one variety, while keeping high yield,” says Schafer. “With marker-assisted selection, researchers have overcome that challenge. Today we can quickly determine which varieties are resistant to a specific agronomic trait and combine multiple traits in one variety.”

Schafer adds that marker-assisted selection is the use of genetic markers on the chromosome to identify the presence of a gene that carries the desired trait.

“To clarify, marker-assisted selection is based on the genes themselves opposed to selection based on the outward expression of those genes,” says Schafer. “Since the outward expression can be highly influenced by non-genetic factors, such as environment and experimental error, marker-assisted selection can greatly increase the efficiency of plant breeding.”

Marker-assisted selection allows for faster disease-screening techniques, an increased number of field and laboratory trials, statistical data analysis and ramped-up production capabilities.

“Once-popular Pioneer varieties are replaced in the lineup every year to make way for newly advanced varieties with higher yields and better disease and pest resistance,” says Schafer. “These new varieties, along with the latest agronomic practices, help increase productivity levels.”

To that point, Schafer adds that the average life span of a Pioneer soybean variety is now five years or less, much shorter than in the past.

Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., a subsidiary of DuPont, is the world's leading source of customized solutions for farmers, livestock producers and grain and oilseed processors. With headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa, Pioneer provides access to advanced plant genetics, crop protection solutions and quality crop systems to customers in nearly 70 countries. DuPont is a science company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture, nutrition, electronics, communications, safety and protection, home and construction, transportation and apparel.

® Registered trademark of Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.
® Roundup Ready is a registered trademark used under license from Monsanto Company.