Soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Heterodera glycines, was first identified in Ohio in 1981 and has now been found on soybean in 72 of 88 of Ohio counties. SCN damages soybeans by feeding on roots, robbing the plants of nutrients, and providing wound sites for root rotting fungi to enter. The severity of symptoms and yield losses are dependent on several factors including: the number of nematodes present in the field at planting, the soybean variety, tillage practices, soil texture, fertility, pH, and environmental conditions during the growing season. In many cases, above-ground symptoms are not present, but yield will be reduced. Once SCN is established in a field, it rarely is eradicated. SCN is the leading cause of soybean yield loss in North America and now occurs in all major soybean production areas worldwide.
Visit Ohio State’s website on Soybean Cyst Nematode for details on this pest: https://u.osu.edu/ohscn/
The distribution of SCN in Ohio as of 2017. Northwest Ohio produces much of the state’s soybean crops and has conducive soil conditions, therefore SCN is a major problem in this area.
A female soybean cyst nematode, stained with a bright pink stain, has set up her feeding site within the soybean root. Her body will fill with eggs and become a bright white cyst visible on the soybean root.
Bright white cysts can be seen on the soybean root.