2018
Soybean Cyst Nematode Sampling Program
Contributor/Checkoff:
Category:
Sustainable Production
Keywords:
NematodePest
Lead Principal Investigator:
Samuel Markell, North Dakota State University
Co-Principal Investigators:
Project Code:
QSSB
Contributing Organization (Checkoff):
Institution Funded:
Brief Project Summary:

Soybean cyst nematode is the most significant disease threat to soybean production in the United States, and it continues to spread in North Dakota. Management tools for SCN are available, but a 15-30% yield loss is common before above ground symptoms appear, making proactive identification critical to avoiding yield loss. In 2013, the NDSC and NDSU developed a free-sampling-bag program for growers, in order to encourage growers to sample for SCN. Since its inception, approximately 2,000 bags have been submitted by North Dakota producers. The economic impact for every grower that proactively detects SCN before incurring yield loss is very high. We propose to continue this sampling program...

Unique Keywords:
#nematodes
Information And Results
Project Deliverables

All results will be delivered to growers at many winter meetings, through the NDSC magazine and website, in Extension publications and popular press.

Final Project Results

Updated June 29, 2018:

View uploaded report PDF file

Why was this research conducted?
Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) is the most yield-limiting soybean disease in the U.S. and was first reported in North Dakota in Richland County in 2003. By 2012, SCN was confirmed in a dozen counties. In 2013, NDSU Extension and the North Dakota Soybean Council developed an SCN sampling program to encourage growers to sample their fields.

Why is this research important to North Dakota soybean farmers?
SCN can cause 15-30% yield loss before any above ground symptoms are apparent, making proactive detection by soil sampling extremely important. In this program, SCN sample bags and instructions are distributed to every County Extension office, at field days and by request. Growers send samples to the lab (free of charge), receive their data in the mail and maps of SCN distribution in the state are created (all other grower information is kept confidential).

What are the findings of this research?
710 samples were received in the fall of 2017. 237 of the 710 samples were positive (approximately 33%) and egg counts ranged from 50 eggs/100cc to 55,400 eggs/100cc. Notably, very low egg counts (50 or 100 eggs/100cc) could be false positives. To better visualize SCN distribution in North Dakota, all data from 2013 to 2017 were combined (Figure 1). In 2017, a notable increase in samples from Grand Forks County were recorded, but while some egg counts in the county were very high most were negative. Enough data points were collected from 2013 to 2017 that ‘heat maps’ were created for the southeast and southcentral counties in North Dakota (Figure 2).

Benefits to the North Dakota Soybean Farmers:
Since 2013, over 3,000 sample bags have been submitted by growers, of which approximately 1/3 were positive for egg counts. This likely represents the sampling of hundreds of thousands of soybean acres in the state. While the level of yield loss is dependent on many factors, susceptible soybeans planted on SCN ground commonly experience a 40% yield loss when conditions are favorable for the disease. Early detection with this program, along with use of management tools, has very likely saved North Dakota soybean growers many millions of dollars since 2013.

The United Soybean Research Retention policy will display final reports with the project once completed but working files will be purged after three years. And financial information after seven years. All pertinent information is in the final report or if you want more information, please contact the project lead at your state soybean organization or principal investigator listed on the project.