Can a soybean field on a soybean producers farm serve as a sentinel plot?
Yes, if planted much earlier than the remainder of the soybeans to be grown on the farm. However, if planting later the sentinel plots established by the Extension Service may provide more advanced information. In 2010 we added two sentinel plot locations along the coast, one in Biloxi, and one in Bay St. Louis. In general, sentinel plots are placed in strategic locations so we can create reliable data to help us build a particular suggestion if and when rust arrives.
