Now that the 2016 soybean season is over, it’s easy to put the problems we encountered behind us. However, it’s important to remember the threats to future soybean fields, and prepare now to combat them.

Unfortunately, the No. 1 soybean pest in the U.S. happens to be invisible to the unaided eye and does not show many, if any, visible symptoms. Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) attacks soybeans at the roots and quietly thwarts yields. Due to the absence of above-ground symptoms, oftentimes SCN yield damage is attributed to cultural or environmental conditions, according to the Iowa State University Extension. This can lead to a build-up of undetected SCN populations.

This invisible damage means you could be unaware of your SCN problems. It’s important to submit soil samples to your local state extension to test for SCN presence. We also encourage you to develop a proactive management plan to protect soybean yields from SCN.

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