Bean Binoculars Incident

Fusarium and Rhizoctonia seedling diseases were observed in soybeans at the V2 (second trifoliate) growth stage in late may. Symptoms included chlorosis of leaves, stand reduction, root discoloration, and total necrosis on some plants. These soybeans were planted on April 30, 2024 as a part of a research trial. Symptoms were observed in patches on less than 25% of the site. Cool, wet soil conditions likely facilitated the issue. 

There is no action to be taken this year. In future years, producers could choose varieties with varietal resistance and if planting earlier than mid-May a fungicide seed treatment may be warranted. Read more about soybean seedling diseases in this NC State Extension publication. You can learn more about Fusarium Root Rot here and Rhizoctonia Seedling Blight and Root Rot here in resources from the Crop Protection Network.