(Radio Iowa) – A soybean disease called sudden death syndrome – or S-D-S — is showing up in more fields this year due to a wet growing season. Iowa State University Extension plant pathologist Daren Mueller says a soil fungus causes S-D-S, largely by producing a toxin that’s absorbed into the soybean’s leaves, which turn yellow and die. “The more rain we get, the more toxin that’s going to be there and sort of hastens the death of the plant. But you still, it is a patchy disease and sometimes the fields are not 100 percent infected. So, it’s still good to have a few rains to finish out the crop that isn’t infected,” he says.

Mueller says treatment is not an option once S-D-S is detected, but farmers can consider different soybean varieties and seed treatments next year. He says planting later in affected acres can also decrease risks of the disease.“As farmers are planting earlier and earlier, that actually increases the risk of S-D-S, so maybe identify the fields that are worst, and try to put those toward the end of your list that you’re going to plant,” Mueller says.

Mueller made his comments on the Iowa Public Radio show “River to River.”