WHETHER YOU PLANT YOUR SOYBEANS EARLY OR LATE, SOYBEAN SEED TREATMENTS ARE AN IMPORTANT WAY TO PROTECT YOUR SEED INVESTMENT, YOUR STAND, AND YOUR PROFITABILITY.

Here are the answers to some of the most common questions we receive about soybean seed treatments.

DO FUNGICIDE AND INSECTICIDE SEED TREATMENTS ON SOYBEANS ALWAYS PAY?

Every year is different, and some years the response from fungicide and insecticide seed treatments is better than others. However, the “complete” seed treatments offered today have much more than just fungicide and insecticide in them. By adding inoculant, naturals, and/or additional fungicides, the yield response to these treatments is much more likely than to just a base fungicide and insecticide. Over five years, the average gain pays a nice return on investment.

SHOULD I ADD ADDITIONAL FUNGICIDE FOR SUDDEN DEATH SYNDROME (SDS) PROTECTION?

If you’ve had SDS at a medium severity in any of the last 10 years, I’d argue that would have paid for one of these additional treatments to be used for all 10 years. Yes, if SDS is a concern in your area, add one of these treatments. Saltro and Ilevo are proven with many years of data to back them up. However, the new Victrato from Syngenta looks really good and may be an upgrade on SDS protection. Try some out on a few acres this year and see what you think.

WHAT ABOUT THE NATURAL PRODUCTS LIKE INOCULANTS, HEADS UP, AND OTHERS? HOW DO THEY HELP?

There are a lot of natural products out there, so let’s take a few of them one at a time. HEADS UP triggers the SAR effect (stress protection) in plants and has shown protection on some tough diseases like pythium, rhizoctonia, sclerotinia white mold, and SDS. Inoculant helps the plant develop improved nodulation, which generates more nitrogen for the beans. Others, like NUTRI-SHIELD, help the plant with enhanced root hair growth and better nutrient uptake. Overall, there are some strong natural products, and many come at a very low price point, which often results in a good return on investment.

One other note on inoculants – If you haven’t planted soybeans for a while or have had extreme drought or flooding, it is often a good idea to double inoculate soybeans by adding a dry inoculant to the seed after treatment. It’s very inexpensive to do and may help even where soybeans are a normal part of the rotation.

WHY DO YOU PROMOTE HEFTY COMPLETE SOYBEAN SEED TREATMENT ABOVE ALL THE OTHERS?

HEFTY COMPLETE CONTAINS 40 INGREDIENTS, ESSENTIALLY GIVING YOU 40 CHANCES TO WIN!

I can’t tell you if disease will be an issue in your soybean fields, but with four systemic fungicides and multiple modes of action, Hefty Complete gives you the best protection available. Insects may or may not be a problem in the soil, but the insecticide in Hefty Complete comes with the protection of up to two free resprays of foliar insecticide if certain bugs are a problem during the growing season. The inoculant in Hefty Complete delivers the highest rhizobia bacteria count on the seed, and there’s also an extender to improve on-seed survival. The Naturals package features the same 32 beneficial microbes used on Hefty Brand 40 Series Corn to help soybeans thrive even in early planted situations. The polymer used in Hefty Complete results in smooth flowability and less stickiness compared to any other treatment we’ve tried. Plus, if you ever have to re-plant for any reason, you’ll get free seed treatment on the replant seed. YOU JUST CAN’T BEAT IT!