If you have not yet done so, now is a good time to go out and record some mid-season field notes. These notes will be valuable at harvest to help explain some of the yield differences we may see between and within fields. Areas of the field that may have looked rough a few weeks ago are looking more uniform as the crop grows and the thin areas are less visible. Spots where weed control was not adequate or where stand was thin or growing less vigorously due to disease, insect damage, compaction, flooding, etc., can turn into areas with reduced yields. However, unless we keep track of what happened, when and where, it is hard to associate lower than expected yields with the many issues that may have presented throughout the season. A few in-season notes recorded about these areas will help you better understand any yield differences that result from potential problem fields. Keeping field notes can also help you determine which issues show up consistently year after year, and create a plan to protect yields from these recurrent issues. 

As spray season begins to wind down, it is important to make time to evaluate your overall herbicide programs and insect and disease management approaches. What worked well? What could you have done differently to improve your weed control? What changes do you plan to make for your weed control program next year? These questions may address traits, products, application rates and timing, or a combination of all. In regard to insects, pests that have been in low numbers for a while such as corn rootworms, appeared to have been more prevalent and in higher numbers in some areas in 2020. Monitoring root damage and rootworm beetle activity can help us make management decisions for the following season. Did my Bt trait package performed well in these moderate to heavy rootworm scenarios? do I need to think about using a different trait package or switching to at-plant insecticides? Areas where wet and cool conditions were prevalent after planting, had issues with seedling pathogens earlier in the season and now some fields are starting to show foliar symptoms of sudden death syndrome (SDS). In areas that experienced Phytophthora issues, evaluating our seed treatment package and varietal resistance, can help us come up with a game plan to better fend off Phytophthora infection next season and protect the soybean crop, if conditions are favorable. The same is true for SDS, where variety and seed treatment selection can help protect soybeans from the devastating yield damage caused by SDS. Your local FS crop specialist can help you decide the best management products and programs for your fields and can provide you with a list of options that fit your individual needs.