University of Kentucky
SCN is important in Kentucky because:
- SCN causes greater annual yield reductions to soybean grown in Kentucky than any other pest or disease.
- SCN has become more difficult to manage in Kentucky due to the major source of resistance in soybean varieties (PI 88788 source of resistance) being less effective than it once was.
- Observable symptoms caused by SCN are rarely seen, except when it comes to soybean yield.
- SCN may interact with other soybean diseases, which can cause additional stress on soybean plants and reduce overall yield.
SCN Management Recommendations
There are multiple tactics for managing SCN:
- Collect soil samples in the Fall of the year near harvest time and submit to a laboratory to know what number of SCN eggs are in your fields
- Rotate soybean with non-host crops, such as corn, to help reduce SCN populations in your fields
- Grow SCN-resistant varieties. Switch soybean varieties every year that soybean is grown in a particular field. If available, use varieties that contain different sources of resistance to SCN every year that soybean is grown in a particular field (i.e. PI 88788, Peking, etc.).
- In combination with SCN-resistant varieties, consider using a nematode-protectant seed treatment.
University of Kentucky Experts
Carl Bradley
Extension Plant Pathologist
University of Kentucky
270-365-7541 ext. 215