Clifford Koger, "USDA-ARS, CGPRU", 141 Exp Station Rd., Stoneville, MS 38776, United States of America and Daniel O. Stephenson, University of Arkansas, P.O. Box 48, Keiser, AR 72351.
The use of desiccants in soybean production systems of the
midsouth USA
has increased in recent years. The increase in desiccant use is partly due to
the increased use of foliar fungicides that allow the plant to stay greener
longer into the growing season, thus necessitating a desiccant to promote plant
maturity and to allow harvesting. The increased presence of late-season grass
weeds in midsouth USA soybean also often requires desiccants to dry the weed
biomass so that harvesting efficiency can be maintained. A multitude of
desiccant types and combinations were tested for their effect on soybean leaf
drop, plant maturity, soybean yield, seed test weight, and seed quality.