Soybean producers are encouraged to submit soil samples for soybean cyst nematode (SCN) egg counts to the SCN Diagnostics clinic in Columbia this spring for free, says Mandy Bish, clinic director and University of Missouri Extension plant pathologist.
Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council partners with the clinic to offer four free sample tests to each producer. For more information, contact your local MU Extension center, or contact SCN Diagnostics at 573-884-9118 or . Sample submission forms are available at .
SCN is the No 1 soybean disease in the U.S. and Canada. Yields drop by as much as 14 bushels per acre in infected fields.
Soybean infected with SCN often appear healthy above the ground because SCN infects the roots of plants. Populations can increase exponentially. Cysts and eggs spread within a field or to new fields by disturbance of the soil, including movement of equipment.
Bish recommends collecting samples from these areas:
- Sampled more than three to five years ago.
- With known SCN populations.
- With a history of sudden death syndrome of soybean.
- Where soybeans are not rotated with corn.
Sampling for SCN is a little different than sampling for other purposes, says Bish. Recommended soil cores are 1 inch in diameter by 8 inches deep. Plan to collect 10 to 20 cores per 20 acres and combine into one composite sample.
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Categories: Missouri, Crops, Corn, Soybeans, Equipment & Machinery