Kochia Found in NW Missouri Soybean Fields

By Linda Geist

Kochia, a highly competitive weed that can reduce yields by as much as 70%, has been found in northwestern Missouri soybean fields, says Wayne Flanary, University of Missouri Extension field specialist in agronomy.

Kochia is not new to Missouri, according to , a project of the Missouri Botanical Garden and the Missouri Department of Conservation. However, this may be the first report of kochia showing up in cropland, says MU Extension weed scientist Kevin Bradley.

“I have never gotten calls or complaints about this species in corn or soybean fields,” says Bradley. “And I spend time actively looking for these kinds of situations and have never seen it in a Missouri corn or soybean field before.”

Flanary says kochia likely made its way to agricultural land via flooding of the Missouri River and its tributaries. Flanary found large, scattered plants in Atchison County soybean fields.

Prolific early emerger

Kochia threatens yields, grows rapidly and aggressively outcompetes crops for water, nutrients and sunlight. It tolerates drought, produces up to 30,000 seeds per plant and germinates quickly – within two or three hours with the right conditions. It emerges as early as February in Kansas, and chemical control is difficult.