BASF and The SCN Coalition champion nematode education for fourth annual SCN Action Month

For the fourth year, BASF Agricultural Solutions and The SCN Coalition are partnering during SCN Action Month. Throughout October, the organizations will provide farmers with the latest research, tools and resources needed to effectively manage soybean cyst nematodes (SCN) during the 2025 season.

BASF and The SCN Coalition are eager to continue raising awareness of SCN – the leading cause of soybean yield loss in North America and a pest that impacts nearly all soybean growing geographies¹. BASF and The SCN Coalition recommend farmers proactively sample fields post-harvest for nematodes to safeguard crop health and maximize their yields. Farmers are encouraged to take action by connecting with their BASF business representatives and visiting SCNfields.com to learn more about the prevalence of SCN, and to determine the economic toll from SCN in their field.

″In our conversations with farmers, we find that many still do not realize they have SCN or aren’t convinced it’s an issue in their fields,″ said Dylan Mangel, University of Nebraska Extension plant pathologist and a leader of The SCN Coalition.  ″October soil testing is key to uncovering this issue. Awareness is crucial because when farmers discover their numbers, they can develop an active SCN management plan for the upcoming year.″

Left unmanaged, SCN populations can signficantly reduce yields and their feeding creates additional vectors for soybean sudden death syndrom (SDS) and other soilborne diseases. In the U.S. alone SCN causes more than a $1.5 billion revenue loss to soybean yields annually². Over the past three season, SCN were present in greater than 80% of 6,000 soil samples BASF received, including damaging levels of nematodes in more than half of the samples. As BASF continues to receive more samples each year, the data underscores the widespread nature of SCN across the U.S. and the need to implement preventative measures.

Timely soild sampling allows farmers to make informed decisions about preventive management based on their own field data. Several actions can be taken to combat SCN including: sampling fields for nematodes, rotating crops, planting a resistant variety and investing in an effective seed treatment.

ILEVO^® seed treatment is the only proven treatment that protects against both SCN and SDS, a costly disease that is often exacerabated by SCN. ILEVO protects against the unpredictability of nematodes as well as SDS, helping produce strong stands and healthy roots.

BASF engagement with SCN Action Month is part of our commitment to helping farmers doing the Biggest Job on Earth. BASF provides both education and innovation related to SCN. BASF invests about $3 million per day in innovation or more than $1 billion annually in comprehensive agricultural solutions alone. This year BASF has furthered its commitment to research and innovation; in fact, more than 250,000 acres have been allocated for research plots in 2024.

Join BASF and The SCN Coalition to actively manage SCN by sampling your fields for nematodes this fall. Visit SCNActionMonth.com or talk to your local BASF representative for more information about active SCN management as you plan for the 2025 season. 

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1. SCNFields.com

2. Crop Protection Network annual disease loss estimates