Increased volumes of corn re­­sidue left behind in derecho damaged fields may lead to cooler and wetter soils next spring, increasing the risk of disease infections such as Pythium and sudden death syndrome (SDS) in soybeans next year, according to Iowa State University (ISU) Extension plant pathologists Daren Mueller and Alison Robertson.

“Research from 2016 showed that the pathogen that causes SDS can actually grow on corn residue, especially the kernels,” Mueller and Robertson wrote in an ISU Integrated Crop Management article. 

Tillage practices and residue management showed inconsistent effects on preventing SDS infections in a three-year study, they...