WAUKESHA, Wis. — The SCN Coalition is declaring October 2 National Nematode Day, with support from BASF, Bayer, Nufarm and Syngenta, to increase soybean farmers’ awareness of soybean cyst nematode (SCN) — the No. 1 yield-grabbing pathogen of the soybean crop in North America.

The four weeks leading up to National Nematode Day will feature quizzes about SCN and other parasitic nematodes that impact soybean production like lesion, Southern root-knot and reniform, and a chance to win a weekly $500 sweepstakes. Follow @TheSCNCoalition on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn for your chance to win.

Are you smarter than a nematode?
Look for the first quiz on September 5, with the answer announced on Friday. Beyond bragging rights, those answering the quizzes correctly will be entered into a weekly sweepstakes for a $500 giveaway. See our National Nematode Day page for more sweepstakes details. The four winners will be announced on National Nematode Day.

Why dedicate an entire day to nematodes?
Soils are rife with nematodes, most of which benefit the environment. But those that are not can be devastating. In fact, SCN robs farmers of an estimated $1.5 billion in profit potential each season.¹ And SCN is just one of several parasitic nematode threats.

The good news is there are ways to actively manage the pest. “Increasing awareness about parasitic nematodes lays the foundation for the importance of soil testing and developing a plan so farmers can realize their soybean crops’ full potential,” says Horacio Lopez-Nicora, plant pathologist and nematologist with the Ohio State University and a member of The SCN Coalition.

Visit NematodeDay.com for more information.

Reference:

1. Bandara, A.Y., Weerasooriya, D.K., Bradley, C.A., Allen T.W., Esker P.D. Dissecting the economic impact of soybean diseases in the United States over two decades. PLoS One. 2020;15(4):e0231141. Published 2020 Apr 2. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0231141. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0210232.

About The SCN Coalition
The SCN Coalition is a public/checkoff/private partnership formed to increase the number of farmers who are actively managing SCN. Our goal is to increase soybean farmers’ profit potential and realize higher yields. Partners in The SCN Coalition include university scientists from 28 states and Ontario, grower checkoff organizations, including the North Central Soybean Research Program, United Soybean Board and several state soybean promotion boards, and corporate partners including BASF, Bayer, Growmark, Nufarm, Pioneer (Corteva), Syngenta, UPL Ltd., Valent and Winfield United

–The SCN Coalition