August 4, 2010

Farmers and ag professionals will learn to identify and manage soybean cyst nematode at four UNL Extension Soybean Cyst Nematode Management Field Days across Nebraska.

Last year, soybean cyst nematodes cost Nebraska soybean growers over $25 million, said John Wilson, UNL extension educator in Burt County.

"This often goes without being detected," he said. "If you have SCN in your fields and are not managing it, you contributed to that loss. Yield
losses of 20-30 percent have been documented in the state with no above-ground symptoms."

If soybean cyst nematode caused holes, lesions, spots or other plant abnormalities, it would be much easier to convince producers to test for and manage it, said Loren Giesler, UNL Extension plant pathologist. However, infested plants usually look healthy. The first indication of a problem is soybean yields that have leveled off or even started to drop while corn or other crop yields in the same field continue to improve.

At each soybean cyst nematode Field Day site participants will be able to see SCN-resistant and susceptible soybean varieties, examine cysts on infested soybean plants' roots, learn how to identify and manage SCN infestations, receive a kit for one free SCN analysis -- a $20 value -- and get answers to soybean cyst nematode questions.

Dates, times and locations of the 2010 Soybean Cyst Nematode Management Field Days are:
 

• Aug. 17, 3 p.m., Robinson Meadowbrook farm. From Waterloo, go half-mile west of Hwy 275 on Maple Street (access Maple Street from Front Street).
• Aug. 18, 3 p.m., Jerry Paczosa farm. From Silver Creek, go 4 miles east on Highway 30, a half mile north on Monroe Road and one-fourth mile west on DD Road.
• Aug. 23, 6:30 p.m., Steve Ruenholl farm. From Cook turnoff, go 2 miles north on Highway 50, 4 miles east on R Road, from Talmage turnoff, go half mile north on Highway 67 and 5 miles west on R Road.
• Aug. 24, 6:30 p.m., Mike Bruns farm. From Fairmont, south edge of town on Fifth Avenue.

Originally identified in counties bordering the Missouri River, soybean cyst nematode has been identified in 50 counties in eastern and central Nebraska as far west as Boyd, Holt, Valley, Buffalo, Kearney and Red Willow counties. As soybean production has moved across the state, so has the distribution of soybean cyst nematodes.

The Soybean Cyst Nematode Management Field Days are presented by UNL Extension with support from the Nebraska Soybean Board. For more information, contact your local UNL Extension office.

Sandi Alswager Karstens
IANR News Service