Early maturing soybean varieties benefit farmers with earlier harvest and increased yield, as well as potential disease and nematode resistance traits that may not be available in later-maturing varieties. Managing early maturing varieties may be difficult as diseases pressure in North Carolina differs from where these varieties were developed in the Midwest. This project develops fungicide programs specific to these maturity groups to maximize yield of these varieties. Research evaluates the impact of fungicide timing on seed quality in early and later maturing varieties, determine when fungi begin to colonize pods and seeds in the field and develops area fungicide timing recommendations.

Key Benefactors:
farmers, agronomists, extension agents