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Soybean cyst nematode symptoms more evident in dry conditions

Drought conditions are helping reveal the presence of soybean cyst nematodes.

BASF technical services rep Troy Bauer says you can see the symptoms of SCN more when the weather is hot and dry.

“A great example would be from this summer when I was looking at some of my research plots, and you really couldn’t see any above-ground symptoms. But I could tell since the treatments were stacked side by side that some of the treatments weren’t canoping as soon as other treatments. And I’m pretty sure in that case it was due to the soybean cyst nematodes.”

He tells Brownfield identifying SCN on roots can be difficult because the cysts are about ten percent the size of a soybean nodule.

“And they’re most easily seen early in the growing season. But even this year, I was in some fields that had a lot of soybean cyst nematode damage on the roots, and you really don’t see any above-ground symptoms.”

Bauer says there can be up to a 30 percent loss in soybean yield potential before signs of SCN become visible.