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Moisture causing seed quality concerns in soybeans

Wet weather has resulted in many reports of poor seed quality in soybeans.

Iowa State University Extension plant pathologist Daren Mueller says most fungi like moisture to grow.

“And obviously the rains provided that.  We’ve received a lot of calls on seed decay and other reports of discolored seeds, and I think this is either frog-eye leaf spot or cercospora leaf blight.”

He tells Brownfield farmers are reporting pod shatter in soybeans.

“Definitely that, and we’re also getting reports of seeds starting to germinate both in corn and soybeans.  I would say in soybeans having pods shatter would be the tricky thing (if) you’re not able to get into that field.”

Mueller says a few days of dry weather have aided Iowa farmers this past week, and he expects the next crop progress report to reflect that.