Wet weather seems to have brought another issue to Kansas agriculture, reports The Hutchinson News.
According to a tweet from Kansas State University Plant Pathologist Dr. Doug Jardine, at least one Kansas grain elevator has rejected loads of soybeans due to “purple” beans.
Soybeans can be stained purple by the fungi Cercospora Kikuchii, which favors damp, humid conditions and temperatures around 75 degrees or higher. The fungal pathogen does not often affect yield but can damage the quality of soybeans because of the stained color.
Erik Lange, senior vice president and chief operating officer for Mid-Kansas Cooperative, told The Hutchinson News that purple seeds have turned up at MKC elevators in central Kansas, but not in quantity to cause concern.
