Fungicide seed treatment recommendations vary significantly from state to state. Fungicide seed treatments are more likely to be economically viable through the middle of the Corn Belt and in the north. Producers who have had documented stand emergence and early plant health concerns should consider utilizing fungicide seed treatments on a prescriptive basis. Soybeans planted into warm soils are unlikely to respond to fungicide seed treatment.

Insecticide seed treatments have some activity on common early season soybean insects, including seed corn maggot, bean leaf beetle, and soybean aphid. Unfortunately, these systemic insecticides have a short period of efficacy (half-life). Therefore these products work well only for the overwintering generation of bean leaf beetles and very early season in-flights of aphids. These products have no activity on late-season aphids or first- and second-generation bean leaf beetles.

For more information on this or other topics related to soybean production, contact your state extension specialist or your local extension educator/agent.

The following is the link to the soybean extension specialists: state extension soybean specialist.