Poster: Biology & Disease Mgmt: Biological Control
149-P
Summary of 11-year field trials of using Heads Up® - a Saponin plant protectant to manage soybean diseases.
S. Navi (1), X. Yang (1) (1) Iowa State University, U.S.A.
Heads Up® is a plant protectant that induces systemic acquired resistance of plants when applied as seed treatments or foliar sprays. Since 2005, field trials have been established in multi-locations of Iowa State University Research Farms to determine effectiveness of seed treatment to manage soybean sudden death syndrome and white mold. Eleven-year Iowa data together with some data from other mid-west soybean productions states were pooled and analyzed. Results show that in average seed treatments with Heads Up alone or Heads Up plus other compound improved soybean yields 2.08 bushels per acre over untreated control. Seed treatments effectively reduced or suppressed the occurrence of SDS and white mold in soybean. Compared with control, the probabilities of yield response to a treatment were 63.5%, 7%, 29.5% for increase, no change, and decrease, respectively. Compared with synthetic chemicals, there is a slightly larger number of low responsive trials for Heads Up, which is often seen in field trials with biological control products. However, the low cost (<$2 per acre) and its biological nature makes Heads Up a good candidate for soybean disease management. To improve consistency, factors leading to low responsiveness are investigated and addressed.