Shredded or cut stems may lead to bruised plant stems. Mild bruising may only break in the outer stem tissue but severe bruising may expose the central stem tissue and lead to more loses. Unfortunately, bruised stems that recover may break any time before harvest as they are weakened. They may lodge and make harvest very difficult. It is very difficult to determine yield loss from bruised plants until harvest.
Defoliation is a measure of the leaf area destroyed by the storm.
Added damage to stems and branches may decrease yields more, depending on the weather during the remainder of the season. The further along in maturity a soybean plant is, the more effect on yield. The corn earworm usually doesn't occur in economic numbers on soybean plants, as they prefer corn at this time. However, the bean leaf beetle can appear. Any stress that greatly increases this abortion will greatly influence yield.