Planting soybeans early, maintaining high soil fertility and irrigating adequately are cornerstones of maximizing yield. However, these practices are a double-edged sword. The very conditions that maximize yield also create a consistently moist, ideal environment for soilborne fungus, namely Fusarium virguliforme, which was responsible for over 49 thousand bushels of yield loss in 2025 alone.¹
You know it as that pesky yield robber, soybean sudden death syndrome (SDS)
So how do you maximize soybean while managing SDS?
Simply avoiding early planting isn’t the answer. Currently, the most effective strategies for safeguarding your crop against SDS (and maximizing yield potential along the way) include choosing more tolerant soybean varieties, implementing seed treatment protocols and practicing sound nutrient management.²
Below are some management options that can help minimize the effects of SDS.
1. Determine the appropriate planting time
The most impactful factor in soybean yield is planting date. But early planting increases the likelihood of SDS infection if inclement weather extends the period between planting and emergence, allowing SDS pathogen more time to attack the soybean plant underground.
You can reduce risks when planting soybeans early by implementing effective seed treatment protocols, and proper variety selection can also help make sure you are planting in the best conditions. Subsequently, you may be able to achieve higher yield thanks to the head start on growth. Make sure the soil is warm and dry enough when planting, and plant fields with a history of SDS later in the spring — just ensure you’re not compromising yield potential with a planting schedule that runs too late.
2. Maintain good soil health
SDS infects young soybean roots shortly after germination, and infection is more likely when cool, wet soil slows seedling development. Improving drainage on problem fields can help hinder the spread of infection. Avoiding or reducing soil compaction wherever possible may help reduce the likelihood of SDS. Tilled soils are more susceptible to compaction than no-till soils, so reduced-till or no-till cropping systems may help avoid compaction. The increased crop residue left behind in reduced tillage systems also helps reduce surface sealing, a form of compaction, by dispersing moisture as rainfall hits the soil surface.
3. Choose a high-quality seed with the highest level of resistance.
Quality seed typically has more vigor and may germinate and emerge more quickly.³ This is critical for preventing SDS as the disease is more prevalent when germination is slowed. While no cultivar is completely resistant to SDS, examining how different seed performed in yield trials can help you select seed with the best tolerance against the disease. For example, Xitavo® 3105E and 3375 in particular perform consistently with better-than-average resistance to SDS and Phytophthora.⁴
4. Implement seed treatment protocols
SDS frequently occurs in fields infested with soybean cyst nematode (SCN). Using a seed treatment like ILEVO® seed treatment to combat the repercussions of less-than-ideal spring conditions, and increasing seedling rates to offset mortality, may help protect seeds from SDS and SCN.
Protect your fields from SDS
Understanding the factors that increase your likelihood of encountering SDS in soybeans is the first step to implementing a protection protocol. Talk to a BASF representative to learn more about managing SDS and to get advice for minimizing the effects of the disease on your soybean yield.
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Endnotes
- “Soybean Disease Loss Estimates from the United States and Ontario, Canada — 2025.” Crop Protection Network, 6 Mar. 2026, cropprotectionnetwork.org/publications/soybean-disease-loss-estimates-from-the-united-states-and-ontario-canada-2025. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
- Jardine, Douglas J. “Sudden Death Syndrome - Soybean Disease - Soybean Research & Information Network - SRIN.” Soybean Research & Information Network, 19 May 2020, soybeanresearchinfo.com/soybean-disease/sudden-death-syndrome/. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
- Sagester, Pace. “Xitavo Soybean Seed Showcases Remarkable Performance in 2023 Yield Trials.” BASF – United States, 20 Nov. 2023, www.basf.com/us/en/media/news-releases/2023/11/xitavo-soybean-seed-showcases-remarkable-performance-in-2023-yie.html. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
- “BASF Unveils 19 New Xitavo Soybean Seed Products for the 2025 Season.” BASF, 9 July 2024, www.basf.com/us/en/media/news-releases/2024/07/basf-unveils-19-new-xitavo-soybean-seed-products-for-the-2025-se. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
