What’s Your Number?

Do you know your number? ..your soybean cyst nematode (SCN) number that is. If you don’t, Williams County OSU Extension can help. As part of a larger initiative called the SCN Coalition, we will be soil sampling soybean fields to estimate the size of SCN populations throughout the state, and what portion of these populations are becoming “resistant to the resistance.” For the past 20 years, the majority of soybean varieties used the same source of resistance from a breeding line called PI 88788. SCN populations have now adapted, and are able to infect these once resistant varieties. What does that mean for SCN management? Farmers need to test fields, rotate resistant varieties, and use seed treatments containing a nematicide. Sampling fields is the first step to developing these management plans; if you are interested in having your fields sampled, please call 419-636-5608 or e-mail Stephanie Karhoff at karhoff.41@osu.edu.