Aug 19, 2010
U.S. Soybean Crop Could Finish Strong, But Faces Challenges
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
The situation for the soybean crop is not quite as clear as it is for the corn crop. Many soybean fields are finishing the growing season in good condition, but they will probably need at least one more good rainfall to insure that all the pods fill properly. August is the make or break month for soybeans and the August weather has been quite different depending on where you are in the Corn Belt. The August weather has been stressful in the eastern and southern Corn Belt as well as the mid-South and the Delta. The August weather has generally been beneficial for the soybean crop in the western and northern Corn Belt. The one major concern for the soybean crop is the widespread appearance of sudden Death Syndrome in Iowa. Losses from the disease vary from field to field, but in severe cases, it could be as high as 30% to 40% of the potential yield. The final U.S. soybean yield could either improve or decline for the following reasons:
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The condition ratings are not likely to improve in the better states because they are already very high and the condition ratings in the hotter and dryer states will likely decline in the coming days.
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The first two weeks of August have not been conducive for flower and pod retention in the hotter and dryer areas of the eastern and southern Corn Belt as well as the mid-South and the Delta.
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The widespread outbreak of Sudden Death Syndrome in Iowa could be a limiting factor in the Iowa soybean yield. On an individual field basis, soybean yields could be severely impacted by the disease.
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On the plus side, the soybeans do not appear to have been affected by the high temperatures like the corn crop.
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Soybeans produce their own nitrogen so the leaching and denitrification of nitrogen that is occurring this year should have no impact on soybean yields.