Give Nematodes Their Day

Save a Soybean by Testing for Nematodes

Pamela Smith
By  Pamela Smith , Crops Technology Editor
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Zach Grossman, Tina, Missouri, helped DTN with a soybean cyst nematode (SCN) testing project last fall. (DTN photo by Jason Jenkins)

DECATUR, Ill. (DTN) -- A writing mentor once advised "teach, don't preach" when writing about agriculture. The advice is hard to follow when it comes to soybean cyst nematode (SCN).

No other pest hurts the soybean bottom line like SCN. After decades of preaching about the need for testing, there's still work to be done encouraging farmers to learn about the pest, the test and SCN management.

So, instead of just preaching about the importance of testing for SCN, DTN and Progressive Farmer decided to act. Last fall we asked two farmers to collect soil samples that were analyzed by SCN Diagnostics at The University of Missouri. The project was done in cooperation with The SCN Coalition.

Over the winter months, those soil samples were subjected to HG Type testing, which is more rigorous than most farmers use. We wanted to learn if the varietal resistance being used on these farms was breaking down. We learned that it is, but we also learned a lot about new hope on the horizon.

Oct. 1 is National Nematode Day. The day serves as a reminder that fall is a great time to test for the pest and to launch a SCN strategy for the coming year. It is sponsored by The SCN Coalition along with industry partners BASF, Bayer and Syngenta.

DTN's recent series "Stomp on SCN Yield Losses" details the SCN testing process and other tactics being used to beat this pest. Those articles include:

-- "Take an HG Type Test to Avoid Varieties Vulnerable to Soybean Cyst Nematode," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

-- "Consider These 5 Steps When SCN Threatens to Reduce Soybean Yields," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

-- "New Gene Discovery May Prevent Soybean Cyst Nematode from Attacking Soybeans," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

-- "Start Digging for Answers on Nematodes," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

-- "Fascinating Facts About Soybean Cyst Nematode," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

-- "Nemasphere Offers New Tool Against SCN," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

Find information, videos, profit calculators, lab links and much more on nematodes at The SCN Coalition, www.thescncoalition.com.

Pamela Smith can be reached at Pamela.Smith@dtn.com

Follow her on social media platform X @PamSmithDTN

Pamela Smith

Pamela Smith
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