Crops Soybeans National Nematode Day October 2 is National Nematode Day and the SCN Coalition is encouraging farmers to beat the pest, take the test. By Successful Farming Staff Successful Farming Staff The content on Agriculture.com is by created by trained journalists who have become subject-matter experts in their fields. You may see some content using the byline "Successful Farming Staff." The content is primarily from information or a press release provided by other entities – such as the USDA, a university, or agricultural company. The press release has been vetted and reviewed by a staff editor. The content is edited and changed to reflect the voice and style of Successful Farming. Successful Farming's Editorial Guidelines Published on October 2, 2023 Close Soybean cyst nematode is a microscopic roundworm that infects plant roots. Root digs and soil samples are essential to understanding SCN impact in each field. Photo: Courtesy of the SCN Coalition and BASF Ensuring SCN is top of mind for farmers“National Nematode Day has been a fun and engaging way of spreading the word about nematodes and the threat those like SCN, Southern root-knot nematode and reniform nematode pose to crops,” says Greg Tylka, nematologist at Iowa State University and a leader of The SCN Coalition. “The month-long campaign leading up to National Nematode Day brought parasitic nematodes to more people’s attention, paving the way for increased soil testing this fall.” As the No. 1 yield-robbing pathogen for the North American soybean crop, attention on SCN is certainly warranted. SCN can cut significant bushels from yield without soybean plants showing visible symptoms. Consequently, farmers and their advisors may not even be aware of the threat. That’s why attention-generating events like National Nematode Day are important.With awareness comes actionThe SCN Coalition often says the first step in actively managing SCN is knowing what you have in your fields. The National Nematode Day promotions kept SCN on farmers’ and agronomists’ minds, which hopefully will prompt them to test soils this fall. Those post-harvest soil tests can guide farmers’ active SCN management strategies. The results can also show farmers whether their SCN management tactics have been effective or if they need to make revisions. SCN soil testing is so important that some state checkoff organizations offer to pay for the processing of samples. The Coalition’s new SCN Profit Checker tool also adds urgency to test soils this fall. The tool estimates how much SCN is costing farmers in any given field. Seeing that impact laid out in dollars and cents is an attention grabber that drives home the need for active SCN management. At its core, National Nematode Day is about awareness. On the farm, awareness is an important step on the path to active management. At the industry level, awareness is the precursor to new research and tools for fighting SCN. Learn more about what you can do to manage SCN. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit