Fighting red crown rot in soybeans

It’s not a pretty sight for soybean farmers, yellow and brown patches on soybean plants, stems turning reddish-brown and rotting, plants suddenly dying. These are all symptoms of red crown rot. After the disease was identified for the first time in 2025 in a southwestern Minnesota field, University of Minnesota plant pathologist Dean Malvick stepped in to investigate.

The soilborne fungal pathogen was first brought to his attention thanks to the careful monitoring of soybean producers. The producer noted a problem in his field, contacted an agronomist who collected samples and sent them to the Plant Disease Clinic at the University of Minnesota. There the Plant Disease clinic staff and Dean Malvick’s lab team worked together to identify and diagnose the disease as red crown rot. 

Red crown rot can be a challenging disease to manage. Most or all soybean varieties adapted to the Midwest that have been evaluated appear to be susceptible to this disease. The red crown rot pathogen is thought to survive for multiple years in soil, thus minimizing the usefulness of crop rotation. 

Dean Malvick and his team plan to step up monitoring and survey work this summer, testing and validating new tools to more quickly and easily identify the disease. They also plan to pilot new methods to manage this disease. They’ll continue to partner with farmers, commodity groups, and industry leaders to raise awareness and educate growers. 

Soybeans and soy products are helping move agriculture into the future — feeding the world, providing sustainable alternatives to multiple industries, and improving environmental, human, plant, and animal health. Learn more about CFANS' role in the research and development of this important crop in The Science of Soybeans.