In the last 10 years, quantitative research funded by the United Soybean Board reveals The SCN Coalition increased awareness and adoption of active soybean cyst nematode management, resulting in up to 20 percent more soybean farmers actively managing soybean cyst nematode.
Since its conception in 1997, The SCN Coalition has strived to increase farmer awareness of soybean cyst nematode — the No. 1 yield-grabbing pathogen of the soybean crop in North America — and increase the number of soybean farmers actively managing the pest to protect the sustainability of the soybean industry.
More Farmers Manage SCN
With the overuse of PI 88788, used in 95% of SCN-resistant soybean varieties, soybean cyst nematode resistance has increased, and so has the need to diversify sources of genetic resistance and management strategies.
The 2024 study found:
- 27% of farmers said they were soil sampling for SCN, a 50% rise since 2015.
- 56% of farmers said they were rotating sources of genetic SCN resistance, a 43% increase since 2015.
- 27% of farmers identified Peking as a source of SCN resistance, an 80% increase since 2015.
- 42% of farmers said they use a nematode-protectant seed treatment, an 80% increase since 2015.
Rising Perception Yield Loss
Along with growth in farmer awareness and active management, the perceived yield loss of soybean cyst nematode also increased. In 2020, farmers surveyed thought soybean cyst nematode reduced soybean yield by 5.1 bushels per acre. In 2024, this perception rose to 5.4 bushels per acre.
While this signals increased awareness of the resistance problem, it also demonstrates a lack of understanding of the larger impact this pest can have on soybean yields.
Data from 15 years of variety trials in farmers’ fields in Iowa reveals soybean cyst nematode’s increased reproduction on PI 88788 can decrease yield by as much as 14 bushels per acre, which represents a 23% yield loss.
Defining Pest’s Financial Toll
In tandem with public and private partners, The SCN Coalition used data collected from 25,000-plus university research plots with resistant soybeans to create a simple way for farmers to develop an active soybean cyst nematode management plan — the SCN Profit Checker.
Putting the pest on center stage, the SCN Profit Checker uses the farmer’s field information to provide a customized estimate of the pest’s yield and profit loss. Since its launch in 2023, the SCN Profit Checker has calculated yield loss for thousands of farmers. Surveyed farmers who were aware of the calculator estimated their average yield loss at 19% — equating to a $70 per acre loss.
Visit TheSCNCoalition.com to learn more about actively managing soybean cyst nematode and to get recommendations specific to your state provided by university and extension experts.
