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Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 13 No. sp2 (2026): Recent Advances in Agriculture

Deciphering temperature-driven epidemiology of collar rot (Sclerotium rolfsii) in soybean under different sowing windows

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.12926
Submitted
25 November 2025
Published
31-05-2026

Abstract

Collar rot, caused by Sclerotium rolfsii, significantly reduces soybean yield, especially under variable environmental conditions. This comprehensive field study investigated the interactive effects of three sowing dates, seven varietal responses and various meteorological variables, including soil temperature, on the incidence of collar rot during the 2024 kharif season at JNKVV, Jabalpur. The weekly percentage increase in collar rot and the corresponding influencing variables were analysed to draw a relation. Collar rot severity peaked at 34.0 % on the first sowing date and decreased significantly with delays, suggesting that temporal disease escape could be an effective management strategy. The seedling stage coincided with dry spells/scattered rainfall, along with warmer soil temperatures (> 30 °C) and RH ranging from 69.3 to 90.4 %, which were the most conducive field conditions for the rapid development of collar rot in soybean. Atmospheric minimum (0.803**), maximum (0.519*) and soil temperature (0.740**) exhibited significant positive associations and morning RH (-0.576*) exhibited a significant negative association with collar rot development in soybean in the pooled analysis. In contrast, rainy days, rainfall and evening RH were not significantly related. The multiple regression model (genotype-independent effects) with an R² of 0.824 (82.4 % of the variance explained) underscored the critical roles of weather variables in the development of collar rot epidemics in soybean. The findings advance current epidemiological understanding and establish a robust foundation for weather-based forecasting models, offering practical tools for integrated, climate-adaptive collar rot management in soybean cultivation.

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