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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Urbana, Illinois » Soybean/maize Germplasm, Pathology, and Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #326893
Title: Association of green stem disorder with agronomic traits in soybean

Author
item HARBACH, CHELSEA - University Of Illinois
item CHAWLA, SHILPI - University Of Illinois
item Bowen, Charles
item HILL, CURTIS - University Of Illinois
item NAFZIGER, EMERSON - University Of Illinois
item Hartman, Glen

Submitted to: Agronomy
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/22/2016
Publication Date: 11/3/2016
Citation: Harbach, C.J., Chawla, S.S., Bowen, C.R., Hill, C.B., Nafziger, E.D., Hartman, G.L. 2016. Association of green stem disorder with agronomic traits in soybean. Agronomy. 108:2263-2268.

Interpretive Summary: Green stem disorder of soybean (GSD) is the occurrence of non-senescent, fleshy green stems of plants with normal, fully mature pods and seeds. This can result in harvest delays that may lead to seed weathering and pod shattering. In turn, many growers, primarily in the southern U.S., will resort to the use of harvest aids, such as paraquat to induce stem senescence in order to facilitate harest. We collected data on GSD incidence in 86 soybean trials from 2009 to 2012 at seven locations in Illinois. GSD incidence ranged from 0% (three trials) to 88% with a mean incidence of 12% averaged over the 86 trials. GSD incidence was correlated with other traits. Correlation of GSD incidence were positively correlated with yield (12 cases), plant height (24) and lodging (29), and seed moisture (35), protein (19), and oil content (2), and negatively correlated with yield (8 cases), plant height (2) and lodging (3), and seed moisture (1), protein (3), and oil content (24). Correlations among agronomic traits, GSD, and in-season precipitation, indicated that yield and precipitation (May, June, and July) were negatively correlated with GSD. The incidence of GSD is a result of the interaction of the specific soybean cultivar and the environment. This information will be used by soybean researchers and extension personell that are interested in green stem disorder of soybean.

Technical Abstract: Green stem disorder of soybean (GSD) is the occurrence of non-senescent, fleshy green stems of plants with normal, fully mature pods and seeds. Data on GSD incidence based on a percentage of plants in plots showing symptoms were collected for soybean cultivars in 86 trials from 2009 to 2012 at seven locations in Illinois. GSD incidence ranged from 0% (three trials) to 88% with a mean incidence of 12% averaged over the 86 trials. GSD incidence was correlated with data on yield, plant height and lodging, and seed moisture, protein, and oil content for all trials. Correlation coefficients of GSD incidence were positively correlated (P < 0.05) with yield (12 cases), plant height (24) and lodging (29), and seed moisture (35), protein (19), and oil content (2), and negatively correlated (P < 0.05) with yield (8 cases), plant height (2) and lodging (3), and seed moisture (1), protein (3), and oil content (24). Correlations among agronomic traits, GSD, and in-season precipitation, indicated that yield and precipitation (May, June, and July) were negatively correlated (P < 0.05) with GSD. The incidence of GSD is a result of the genetics of soybean cultivars and how they interact with the environment.