Crop rotation is an efficient and low costing practice to control late season diseases (DFC) in soybeans (Glycine max). In order to evaluate the effects of crop rotation and fungicidal application on the control of DFC, two field experiments were performed in the 1998/99 and 2000/01 cropping seasons. In 98/99, soybean plants grown in rotation with corn (Zea mays) yielded significantly more than plants under monoculture, and this difference in yield was mainly due to the rotation effects on the control of the stem rot caused by Phyalophora gregata. In the 00/01 season, no significant differences were observed between the two cropping systems. The yield increase associated with the application of fungicides was higher after crop rotation than under monoculture. The chemical control reduced the severity of both powdery mildew and late season diseases, but only cultivars that were susceptible to the first disease yielded more than the non-sprayed controls. The yield increase due to fungicidal treatments was usually higher in soybean cultivars that were susceptible to powdery mildew.
