Any factor that delays germination and hypocotyl emergence results in a longer infection period and a higher incidence of seedling disease. Factors which retard seedling growth include poor seed quality, improper planting depths, poor seedbed preparation, and high rates of herbicides. Seedling roots are often blackened and decayed. Other symptoms include lesions on the cotyledons, shriveled cotyledons, water soaked primary leaves, or soft young stems. Microscopic examination of the damaged seedling is necessary to identify the specific pathogen involved.
Seed treatments are relatively inexpensive and in most cases insures a good stand.
As a result a second opinion from someone experienced with soybean diseases may be beneficial. Unless this individual can visit the site, you may have to collect and submit high quality specimens. Following are some suggestions for collecting plant samples. Disease samples should include both diseased and healthy plant tissue for comparison purposes. Suspect plants which are already dead are generally of little value.