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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Urbana, Illinois » Soybean/maize Germplasm, Pathology, and Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #179774
Title: FIELD EVALUATION OF GREEN STEM DISORDER IN SOYBEAN CULTIVARS

Author
item HILL, CURTIS - UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
item Hartman, Glen
item ESGAR, R - UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
item HOBBS, HOUSTON - UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/20/2005
Publication Date: 3/1/2006
Citation: Hill, C.B., Hartman, G.L., Hobbs, H.A. 2006. Field evaluation of green stem disorder in soybean cultivars. Crop Science. 46(2):879-885.

Interpretive Summary: Green stem is a disorder of soybean that causes the stems to remain green, and moist, although pods and seeds are fully mature and dry. The disorder is a nuisance for producers because it complicates harvesting of soybeans by significantly increasing the difficulty in cutting and threshing the affected plants. Over 1,000 soybean cultivars were evaluated for green stem incidence in three Illnois locations, Dekalb, Monmouth, and Urbana, during 2001-2004. There were significant differences among cultivars in 29 of the 31 tests. Consistent differences among cultivars tested in multiple locations and years were found, indicating that genetic variability among cultivars for green stem resistance exists. Levels of green stem incidence varied over years and locations. Monmouth tended to have higher green stem incidence than Dekalb that tended to be higher than at Urbana. This information may be important for soybean producers and scientists that have had problems with green stem or are doing research on green stem.

Technical Abstract: Green stem is a disorder of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) that causes the stems to remain green and moist, although pods and seeds are fully mature and dry. The disorder is a nuisance for producers because it complicates harvesting of soybeans by significantly increasing the difficulty in cutting and threshing the affected plants. Soybean cultivars were evaluated for green stem incidence in three Illinois locations, Dekalb, Monmouth, and Urbana, during 2001-2004. Incidence of green stem, the percentage of plants with green stem symptoms in each test plot, was visually rated using a 0-5 scale. In 31 tests, 1187 different MG (maturity group) I- MG IV, conventional and glyphosate-resistant, cultivars were evaluated. There were significant differences among cultivars in 29 of the 31 tests. Most cultivars had < 30% green stem incidence. Consistent differences between cultivars tested together in multiple locations and years were found, indicating that genetic variability among cultivars for green stem resistance exists. The variability may provide a basis for breeding for green stem resistance. Levels of green stem incidence varied over years and locations. Monmouth tended to have higher green stem incidence than Dekalb that tended to be higher than at Urbana. There were no differences in green stem incidence between conventional and glyphosate-resistant cultivars. A higher proportion of MG II cultivars tended to have moderate to high green stem incidence compared with MG III cultivars.