Soybean Infection Appears In West-Central Illinois

There is evidence of the beginning of a soybean crop infection in some parts of west-central Illinois.
 
University of Illinois Extension educator Mike Roegge says some fields started
showing signs two weeks ago and affected areas rapidly expanded. He tells The
Quincy Herald-Whig (http://bit.ly/1u2B1uo ) that's ``not a good sign.''
 
The soil-based fusarium organism causes the sudden death syndrome. Roegge says
the organism keeps the plant from sending water and nutrients to the leaves. The
leaves start dying and turn yellow and brown.
 
Roberta Simpson Dolbeare farms near Pleasant Hill. She says crop yields are
going to be reduced, but she's not sure by how much. The newspaper reports that
not every field is affected but the ones that are could see losses of 10 to 20
percent.