15-2020 Shanmugam Determining Management-related Factors that Impact the Severity and Incidence of Soybean Taproot Decline

Soybean taproot decline (TRD), an important soilborne root disease, is shaping up to become one of the major diseases facing soybean producers in Mississippi, and beyond.  TRD has been increasing in Mississippi since the first reports more than 12 years ago but yield losses and economic damages have yet to be accurately quantified. With an increased understanding of the relationships involved, there is an opportunity for increased field suppression due to more informed selection of management practices and scientific monitoring of the results. Our aim is to understand how management practices in Mississippi soybean production systems (e.g., early-planting, precision seed placement, irrigation systems, residue management) relate to the occurrence of TRD in order to verify the effects of altering management practices, and to determine the potential for enhancing the disease suppressive ability of these endemic soils. The aim is to broaden the range of cost-effective practices for TRD suppression that are amenable to incorporation into Mississippi soybean production systems.