Albert Tenuta, OMAFRA; Tom Welacky, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) is the most yield limiting disease of soybeans in Ontario and the northern United States. Unfortunately many soybean growers continue to lose yield to the disease and although effective and practical management tools are available many growers still are not properly managing SCN or are unaware of the problem. It is for these reasons SCN is often referred to as the “silent yield robber”. Many researchers believe the stagnant soybean yields in certain parts of the province and the US North Central is due to diseases and insects but particularly SCN.

The goal of this multi-year project is to reduce losses and improve SCN management in Ontario and the North Central US states. This will limit SCN losses and increase soybean production not only today, but into the future. If SCN is not managed appropriately, the long-term implications could be the loss of profitable soybean production in some areas.

As part of this project on-farm plots in Ontario and 12 northern US states were established in 2008. This portion of the project has focused on large scale demonstrations on SCN management through the use of resistant varieties and the various SCN resistance genes. In the Ontario plots, the SCN resistant varieties out yielded the susceptible varieties by 48.9 percent in Field 1 (Chatham\ Kent) and 45.1 percent in Field 2 (Essex County). These results emphasize the importance and effectiveness SCN resistant varieties have when used under even low SCN pressure.

The information generated from this international cooperative project is being merged with the US data and is being communicated to Ontario soybean producers through various technology transfer materials such as research reports, factsheets, education field days and presentations. OMAFRA, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Ontario Soybean Growers involvement in this unique opportunity is in partnership with the North Central Soybean Research Program Project (funding through US soybean check-off). The aim is to educate not only soybean producers but the soybean industry and advisors about this very destructive soybean disease. Participation allows access to research, resources and communication materials. which would otherwise be cost prohibitive if done alone. By coordinating efforts this will help deliver a consistent message on SCN and its management.

This project is supported through ORD.