In the past six months, we compiled and published a list of SCN-resistant soybean varieties for Iowa. The publication was made available online on the Production Research section of www.iasoybeans.com and also on the ISU Extension Online Store.
The final two of three 30-day greenhouse experiments were completed to precisely assess the amount of SCN reproduction that occurred on SCN-resistant soybean varieties that were tested in the ISU SCN-resistant Soybean Variety Trial Program in 2013. In the fall of 2013, we harvested all of the plots at the nine variety trial experiments, and soil samples were collected from each plot to determine end-of-season SCN egg population densities. Once yields and SCN egg population densities were determined and statistically analyzed, results were compiled into a publication that was printed in December 2013 and distributed to 70,000 Iowa farmers and agribusiness personnel in January 2014 in the Iowa Farmer Today. To prepare for the 2014 growing season, more than 100 different seed companies in January-February 2014 were invited to nominate SCN-resistant soybean varieties that they sell to Iowa farmers to include in the 2014 ISU SCN-resistant Soybean Variety Trial Program. Also, we sought out SCN-resistant soybean varieties with Peking and Hartwig sources of SCN resistance that were not submitted for testing in the variety trials by the seed companies. The varieties for evaluation in 2014 were selected and seed was obtained.