Soybean cyst nematode is becoming increasingly common in North Dakota soybean fields. “The first time I came up to the Fargo area would have been 12 years ago, and maybe 20 to 30 percent of the fields were infested,” said Mike McCarville, BASF Trait Technology Lead. “Now it’s well over half of them. It’s spreading quite quickly through North Dakota.” McCarville cites the soil movement in the Red River Valley with tare soil from sugarbeet production. Harvest is an excellent time to take soil samples and determine SCN pressure. McCarville said growers should look beyond egg counts and consider soil pH because higher-pH soils can magnify yield losses from nematode damage. “If you’re a farmer in North Dakota, you have very unforgiving soils when it comes to nematode injury.” BASF plans on-farm trials next year for Nemasphere, its biotech trait designed to protect soybeans from SCN, with a full commercial launch planned for 2028.
