Many producers have likely selected and ordered seed of soybean varieties for 2013 planting. Many of these selection decisions undoubtedly used yield as the primary selection criterion, and that is understandable.

However, there are other factors that should be considered when deciding which varieties to plant in particular fields. Among these are possible varietal susceptibilities to injury or yield loss from diseases, nematodes, and iron deficiency, plus likelihood of injury from certain herbicides that may be used in a weed management program that considers herbicide-resistant weeds.

For information about varietal sensitivity to the herbicides sulfentrazone (Authority), saflufenacil (Sharpen), and metribuzin, click here,  here,  and here for the most recent available data.

For 2012 University of Arkansas ratings of varietal susceptibility to injury from root knot nematode, reniform nematode, soybean cyst nematode (SCN) races 2, 3, 5, and 14, and stem canker, click here (select 2012 Final Evaluation under Disease Ratings).

For the most recent available data from Mississippi State University (MSPB project 19-2012) for variety susceptibility to stem canker, frogeye leaf spot (FLS), purple pod rot, purple leaf stain, and black root rot, click here.

For 2012 Louisiana State University ratings of varietal susceptibility to iron deficiency and Cercospora blight, click here.

The 2012 Tennessee soybean variety trial publication contains a table of variety characteristics that include herbicide tolerance and designations of resistance to stem canker, sudden death syndrome, FLS, and races of SCN.

Information from the above sources should be used to make a final determination of which varieties to plant on sites or under circumstances that may be subject to injury from the above pests or conditions.

Composed by Larry G. Heatherly, Dec. 2012, larryheatherly@bellsouth.net