The Louisiana soybean crop condition rating of good – excellent dropped 28% after hurricane Laura. As of August 30, the rating of good – excellent was 60% (Figure 1). The current crop condition is rated 22 – 31% lower than the previous nine weeks. A total of 25% of the crop was harvested before the hurricane according to the USDA report on August 30 (Figure 2). Before the hurricane, soybean producers harvested 2% more than the five-year average and 11% more than in 2019.

Figure 1. The Louisiana soybean crop condition rating of good – excellent dropped 28% after hurricane Laura.

Figure 2. A total of 25% of the soybean crop was harvested before hurricane Laura.

The Effects of Hurricane Laura On the Louisiana Soybean Crop

The hurricane caused light to heavy lodging (leaning or laying over) throughout the state. A few fields had 100% moderate to severe lodging. Although the hurricane caused lodging in most of the varieties in the official variety trial (OVT) at the Dean Lee Research Station, there were differential results. The lodging data will be available in the 2021 OVT publication. Pictures from the northwest region show minimum (Figure 3) to moderate lodging (figure 4). Likewise, the lodging in the northeast region mainly consisted of minimum to no lodging (figure 5) in many places; however, moderate to heavy lodging plants (figure 6) were seen in other locations. Mature soybean plants in the LSU AgCenter core-block variety demonstration in Catahoula Parish suffered minimum lodging during the hurricane (Figure 7). Lodging can decrease yield and harvest efficiency. If the plants are on or close to the ground, the crop may sustain quality issues in flooded or saturated soils. In addition, scouting for pest could be more challenging in fields containing lodged plants.

Figure 3. A soybean field in Natchitoches Parish that has minimum to no lodging plants after hurricane Laura. Photo by Randall Mallette

Figure 4. A soybean field in Natchitoches Parish that has moderate lodging after hurricane Laura. Photo by Randall Mallette

Figure 5. After hurricane Laura, minimum damage was observed in the core-block demonstration in West Carroll Parish. Photo by Bruce Garner

Figure 6. After hurricane Laura, moderate to severe lodging was observed in a soybean production field in Morehouse Parish. Photo by Bruce Garner

Figure 7. Mature soybean plants in the LSU AgCenter core-block variety demonstration in Catahoula Parish that suffered minimum lodging during hurricane Laura.