The presence and damage of soybean cyst nematode can go unnoticed while its population densities can increase surpassing damage threshold. Though effective SCN control can be achieved through integrated management practices, there is less understanding about which factors contribute to initial colonization of SCN in fields with no history of infestation. This work evaluates how field management history, including weed pressure, influences the initial colonization of SCN on “naïve” fields, defined as those in which SCN has not been previously detected. Further, it evaluates how the communities of fungi present in these soils and associated to SCN can influence infection and reproduction.

Key Benefactors:
farmers, agronomists, extension agents