Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is the number one yield-robbing pest in soybeans in the United States, affecting over 200,000 growers and costing them an estimated $1.5 billion in yield annually.¹
These statistics are unnerving, sure. But the real-life implications of what yield loss means for growers’ livelihoods are even more disturbing.
“My family’s farm has lost an estimated $330,000 in the last decade from SCN — I could’ve sent four grandkids to Iowa State for that,” says Scott Kay, son of an Iowa crop farmer and Vice President of U.S. Agricultural Solutions at BASF.
Don’t sleep on soybean cyst nematode in your field
Due to its relative invisibility, growers can often remain blissfully unaware that their crop is being eaten alive before their very eyes. In fact, only one-third of growers consider soybean cyst nematode as one of their top three challenges.
“Even if growers have heard about [SCN], there’s still this ‘not on my farm’ mentality,” says Bryan Perry, U.S. Head of Seeds and Traits for BASF Agricultural Solutions.
The data backs Perry up. When polled, growers in the North, Western Cornbelt and Eastern Cornbelt perceive only 14.4% of soybean acres are currently infested with damaging levels of soybean cyst nematode. However, soil tests revealed that in actuality, 58% of sampled fields contained damaging levels of soybean cyst nematode.²
Unaddressed, yield loss from soybean cyst nematode will continue to increase. “By the end of the decade, we will eclipse 10% yield loss,” says Michael McCarville, Trait Development Manager at BASF. “I had a nematologist from Brazil explain it to me as one out of every 10 soybean crops. Nine soybean crops go to your family … one is going to nematodes. [SCN] is the herd of cattle that [growers] don’t realize they’re raising, and it’s really expensive to raise.”
As the saying goes, the first step toward change is awareness. In partnership with the SCN Coalition, BASF is working to educate growers about this stealthy pest that steals yield year after year. Encouraging growers to scout for soybean cyst nematode is crucial.
But even for growers who do scout for SCN, identifying the issue is little consolation. Historically, satisfactory solutions for fighting the pest haven’t been available. Growers cite “too few treatments available” as the number one hurdle to SCN management. Plus, the two soybean traits tasked with soybean cyst nematode control, PI 88788 and Peking, are predicted to continue experiencing a significant decline in effectiveness as SCN adapts. If this trajectory continues, SCN is trending toward a catastrophic 10-12% potential yield loss across the U.S.
While rotating these current sources of native SCN-resistant genes can help delay the development of resistance, a gap of at least four years between the use of Peking in any field is recommended, leaving growers up a creek without a paddle as they try to preserve Peking’s effectiveness while protecting their yield and managing the rapidly reproducing SCN population in the meantime.
There have been no new trait innovations in soybean cyst nematode management in over 60 years. The good news: Hope is on the horizon.
Entering a new era of soybean cyst nematode control with Nemasphere™ nematode resistance trait
BASF Agriculture Solutions has announced the Nemasphere brand name, for the first and only biotechnology trait for soybean cyst nematode management. Designed to simplify SCN control with built-in protection from the moment the seed hits the ground, this trait will let growers play offense against this nearly invisible threat. Nemasphere is anticipated to be available in 2028, pending regulatory approval.
BASF is the first company to develop a transgenic (genetically modified) trait to control soybean cyst nematode. Nemasphere produces a novel Cry14 protein that, when ingested by nematodes, interferes with nutrient uptake in their intestines and leads to the nematodes’ death. This long-awaited, completely novel mode of action was the brainchild of BASF Research Science Manager Julia Daum. Cry proteins have been successfully used in agriculture before, she explains, due to their specificity to the target pest and safety for humans and other animals. However, no product containing Cry proteins has been developed to protect plants from parasitic nematodes, until now.
“When I started working on this discovery it was about 2005 and I remember thinking if we could come up with a novel solution for soybean cyst nematode, it would be game changing for the farmer to get that yield back that the soybean cyst nematode is robbing from them,” says Daum. Nemasphere is that game-changing solution, providing growers with unmatched soybean cyst nematode resistance, without compromising yield potential. In its eighth year of advanced field testing, including more than 200 field trials in the United States, Nemasphere has been found to boost yield potential by 8%.³
“BASF’s Nemasphere nematode resistant trait pays twice: more yield this year, less risk next soybean crop,” McCarville says.
Nemasphere stacks with native traits, allowing growers to achieve their full harvest potential and full genetic yield potential. Nemasphere will be stacked with the Enlist E3® trait and available in a full range of the top-performing and best-yielding soybean seed varieties.
Why proactive, integrated soybean cyst nematode management is critical
Controlling soybean cyst nematode is all about risk management. The rate at which SCN proliferates is astronomical, meaning lack of awareness can quickly prove costly. “You can’t afford to mess this up for even a single season because of the reproductive potential of the pest,” McCarville says.
For example, if you started the season with 200 eggs in your field, by season’s end you could be looking at upwards of 39,000 eggs. Addressing your nematode population now is critical.
“As a soilborne pathogen, once you have [SCN] in your field, you will not get rid of it, you will have to manage it, ” says Horacio Lopez-Nicora, Ph.D, Assistant Professor at Ohio State University’s Department of Plant Pathology. You cannot afford to bury your head in the sand, because doing so will only exacerbate the problem.
Integrated SCN management is key. While the Nemasphere nematode resistance trait will provide unmatched protection from a trait perspective, an integrated approach will prevent widespread overuse of the product that allows SCN to adapt, eventually rendering it ineffective after lengthy overreliance (think overreliance on Roundup that led to nearly uncontrollable herbicide-resistant weeds). Since soybean cyst nematode has been able to adapt to overcome the current SCN-resistance genes, protecting the long-term power of Nemasphere will be of utmost importance. Lopez-Nicora recommends following the three R’s of soybean cyst nematode management:
- Rotate crops
- Rotate soybean cyst nematode resistant varieties
- Rotate sources of native SCN-resistant genes
Don’t let SCN take hold in your field while you wait on the Nemasphere launch; start protecting your yield now with soybean cyst nematode seed treatments that can be used in combination with rotating SCN-resistant soybean products. ILEVO® seed treatment provides protection against all plant parasitic nematodes as well as soybean sudden death syndrome.
Say no to soybean cyst nematode and reclaim your rightful soybean yields
In an already volatile industry, it is critical to control what you can. Finally, growers will be able to put soybean cyst nematode in the crosshairs with a product that provides a simple yet effective solution for managing SCN.
Although eradication of the pest is a pipe dream, McCarville presents optimistic, yet realistic expectations in regard to Nemasphere’s impact on the soybean cyst nematode crisis.
“SCN has been the number one pest for 50 years. By the time I retire, I would like that to end.” McCarville says. “We’re not going to completely eliminate yield loss, but it would be extremely satisfying to see it become number two.”
Experts are available to help you make your decisions. Reach out to your seed retailer, a nearby extension office agent or a seed company professional like your regional BASF representative.
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Endnotes
- Kay, Scott. The New Standard for Nematode Management, 22 May 2024, BASF Agricultural Solutions, Research Triangle Park, NC. Presentation.
- Currie, Caroline. “Farmer perspectives on SCN”. The New Standard for Nematode Management, 22 May 2024, BASF Agricultural Solutions, Research Triangle Park, NC. Presentation.
- McCarville, Michael. “The SCN Trait Story”. The New Standard for Nematode Management, 22 May 2024, BASF Agricultural Solutions, Research Triangle Park, NC. Presentation.
