Soybean cyst nematodes are another problem except summer heat

Date:09-05-2012

As if the hot, dry weather hasn’t caused enough problems this summer, it may be contributing to another detrimental pest below the soil surface. Reports of soybean cyst nematode (SCN) infestations have been increasingly more common this season as the extreme heat and drought conditions put additional stress on soybean plants throughout much of the Midwest. Don’t be fooled by their small size, at about a millimeter long, these microscopic parasites can jeopardize yield and profit potential by putting the plant under increased stress.
 
Attention to and prevention of soybean cyst nematode is warranted for the hot, arid 2012 growing season. These soil-borne parasites can jeopardize, ruin and destroy farmers’ fields and profits by limiting soybean yields, especially during drought-ridden years, by as much as 30 percent.
 
Soybean cyst nematodes may be misdiagnosed as nutrient deficiencies, diseases or environmental stress, and often go untreated until it’s too late. The result: lower yields. This season, soybeans have become especially susceptible to soybean cyst nematodes because soybeans are already stressed due to the extreme heat and dry weather conditions. According to the Iowa State University Extension, the availability of moisture greatly affects the severity of symptoms and yield loss caused by soybean cyst nematodes. The lack of water, dry soil conditions and root stunting from soybean cyst nematodes causes more stress on the soybeans, increases yield loss and strengthens soybean cyst nematode populations. 
 
Given that SCN is widely distributed in all major soybean production areas of the United States, now is the time to prepare for next season. In order to promote higher soybean yields and help manage SCN, Syngenta offers NK® brand soybeans. “Syngenta scientists have a long track record of employing the most innovative breeding technologies available,” says Scott Erickson, soybean genetics portfolio manager, Syngenta. “This enables our researchers to design precise NK soybean varieties with high genetic yield and a complete package of risk management traits to target pests like the soybean cyst nematode. And by protecting your NK brand soybeans with the addition of Avicta® Complete Beans seed treatment, growers add another level of protection that is proven to improve yields 3-5 bu/A versus the untreated.”
 
Avicta Complete Beans is a nematicide/insecticide/fungicide combination of separately registered seed treatments that specifically targets soybean cyst nematodes. Growers will have proven consistency and reliable early-season protection in the convenience of a seed-delivered treatment – helping to increase plant health and yield potential.