Calculating the impacts of soybean cyst nematode

An Ohio State Extension specialist says soybean cyst nematode remains the most economically damaging disease in North America.

Horacio Lopez-Nicora tells Brownfield there is still a lot to learn about the disease.

"It can cause significant yield reduction with absolutely no visible symptoms," he says.

He says soil testing is the best way to detect it.

"We can pretty much sample any time from harvest until planting," he says. "Now, a constraint is that you know our soils can get frozen. Anytime that you can insert a soil probe and collect soil samples regardless of if it's frozen, we can process that."

Lopez-Nicora says the SCN Profit Checker Calculator, launched in mid-2024, will be available to growers again in 2025.

"The calculator will provide a percentage of slowing yield reduction due to the level of SCN in that field," he says. "Not only that, it will translate also in how much potentially we're losing money wise."

The Ohio Soybean Council and OSU Extension are offering free SCN soil testing for two soil samples sent into Lopez-Nicora's lab. For more information, contact your local OSU Extension Educator.