Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) caused significant yield losses in soybeans in west-central Illinois in 2014. SDS was again reported in some west-central Illinois fields in 2015, and also appeared in the earliest (April 15) planted soybeans at the Northwestern IL Ag. R&D Center (NWIARDC).

With funding from the United Soybean Board, researchers at Southern Illinois and Iowa State Universities were able again in 2015 to conduct SDS soybean variety trials at multiple locations and with varieties from different companies and maturity groups. This valuable resource is available in a document titled: 2015 Soybean Sudden Death Syndrome Commercial Variety Test Results.

In 2015, with funding from AgBiome and material support from Munson Hybrids, personnel at the NWIARDC completed a randomized, replicated SDS seed treatment trial. This experiment was planted and maintained in such a way as to maximize disease pressure: it was planted early (May 7) in a field that had been previously planted to soybean, seed (treated and untreated) were planted into furrows that had first been infested with Fusarium virguliforme, the fungus that causes SDS, and drip irrigation was used to supplement natural rainfall. Additional experimental details and results are available in a document titled: Comparison of soybean seed treatment products for sudden death syndrome (SDS) management in Monmouth, Illinois in 2015.