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Content by Connie Strunk

A green soybean plant with purple and white flowers begining to develop.

Current Weather Conditions Are Conducive White Mold Development in Soybeans

Frequent rains and overcast conditions continue to occur in South Dakota’s main soybean growing counties. These conditions favor white mold development. In some of these counties, soybean is already at R1, which is also the best timing for fungicide application targeting white mold control.

Green blades of wheat with brown, rust-like spots throughout.

Diseases in Winter Wheat Imply High Inoculum for Spring Wheat

Winter wheat is past the need for an in-season fungicide application. However, many spring wheat fields are yet to flower, making them prone to disease development. A few diseases, including leaf rust, stripe rust, and Fusarium head blight have developed in winter wheat. This implies that there is enough inoculum available for these diseases to develop in spring wheat; especially East River, where rainfall has been frequent.

Collage of four common wheat disease symptoms. From left: Tan spot, strip rust, stagonospora leaf blotch, and bacterial leaf streak.

Winter Wheat Disease Update: Leaf Diseases and FHB on the Increase

Winter wheat fields scouted last week show an increase in fungal leaf diseases and bacterial leaf streak. Among the fungal diseases, the most common leaf diseases are tan spot, Stagonospora leaf blotch, and stripe rust. The risk for Fusarium head blight has also started to increase in a number of areas in the state.

A collection of empty pesticide and herbicide containers.

What to Do With Unusable Home and Garden Pesticides

As a gardener or homeowner, you may be wondering what you can do with your leftover pesticide products (including herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides), or maybe you bought a new home and the garage or basement is full of mysterious containers with no labels. If products are stored in garages or other areas with a lot of temperature changes, these products may become entirely unusable. So what to do?

A green soybean pod with frogeye leaf spot symptoms. The pod is partially open to reveal developing seed at the end of the pod with frogeye leaf spot symptoms developing.

Frogeye Leaf Spot of Soybean

This fact sheet is about a soybean disease that is increasingly becoming more severe in South Dakota. Moreover, fungicide resistance for this pathogen has been detected in South Dakota.

Left: A close-up of two wheat leaves showing light yellow streaks, a symptom of wheat streak mosaic virus. Right: Winter wheat leaves with small dark brown lesions surrounded by a yellow halo, a symptom of tan spot.

Winter Wheat Disease Update: Wheat Streak Mosaic and Tan Spot Developing at Low Level

Winter wheat fields scouted the week of May 27, 2019 in South Central South Dakota were found with wheat streak mosaic virus and tan spot developing at very low levels. Both diseases were found in non-rotated wheat fields.

Winter wheat blades with lesions with a dark brown center and yellow margin surrounding the lesion.

Diagnosing Early Diseases in Winter Wheat

Winter wheat progress is relatively behind the five-year average given the long winter season and low spring temperatures. However, it is important to scout and diagnose early-season diseases in winter wheat to determine the need for an early season fungicide.

Field with field peas and blue sky with fluffy white clouds

An identification guide of common Diseases of Dry Peas in South Dakota

A guide depicting common diseases of Dry Peas in South Dakota

A healthy, growing soybean field. Farmyard in the background.

Soybean Growers Sought for On-Farm Research Program

We want you! SDSU Extension and the South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council are seeking South Dakota Soybean Growers willing to participate in a farmer-led on-farm research program.

Soybean seed drill. Courtesy: United Soybean Board

Fungicide Seed Treatment Considerations for 2019

With the excessive soil moisture and flooding that has occurred throughout South Dakota, growers may be thinking about using a fungicide seed treatment this planting season.