Understanding The Overlooked Connection Between Sudden Death Syndrome And Soybean Cyst Nematode

Rather than dealing with yellowing and defoliating soybean plants mid-season, Syngenta encourages Midwestern growers to get ahead of sudden death syndrome (SDS) before planting in 2017.

Some fields in the Midwest experienced SDS this past summer. While a cool and wet spring followed by saturated soils later in the season favored SDS development, weather wasn’t only to blame.

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“Fields with soybean cyst nematode pressure have been shown to be more susceptible to the pathogen that causes SDS,” says Jason Bond, plant pathologist at Southern Illinois University.

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Although often overlooked, there is a relationship between SDS and soybean cyst nematode (SCN), and fields showing SDS symptoms most often also test positive for SCN. The extensive root damage caused by SCN makes the plants more vulnerable to SDS infection, according to The Ohio State University Extension.

Shawn Conley, professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, further discusses the correlation of SDS and SCN in this video.

With no in-season treatment options available, effective SDS management in 2017 will require a comprehensive preventive strategy that includes planting resistant varieties and treating them for protection against SCN, too. Start now by sampling soils for SCN.

“We have to think about managing those pathogens together, because they are, in fact, attacking the plants at the same time. A seed treatment provides the added benefits of targeting the fungus and the nematode simultaneously, soon after planting, and complementing resistant varieties,” explains Bond.

Best Management Practices

Because SDS and SCN are both highly damaging, widespread and correlated, Syngenta advises growers to plant soybean varieties with genetic resistance to both of these pests. In addition to providing SCN resistance, SDS-resistant NK Soybean varieties offer the industry’s best SDS ratings when compared to major competitors’ varieties, with an average 1.3-point advantage for relative maturities.

“In addition to yield, SDS and SCN resistance are key breeding targets for Syngenta,” says Scott Erickson, product marketing manager, soybean seed, at Syngenta. “It’s how we’ve been able to deliver a premier selection of products with leading SDS tolerance like NK Soybean varieties S22-S1, S27-J7, S30-V6, S35-C3 and S39-C4 brands.”

To enhance those varieties and protect soybeans during the critical seedling growth stage, agronomists encourage growers to plant seed treated with Clariva Complete Beans seed treatment, a combination of separately registered products. Through effective, season-long SCN protection, Clariva Complete Beans helps to reduce the impact of SCN and SCN-related diseases, such as SDS.

“There’s a big issue with SDS and SCN pairing together and causing an even greater yield loss than either one alone in a single field. A seed treatment that reduces the number of SCN eggs can provide a yield benefit,” says Conley.

Growers like Larry and Franki Williams credit Clariva Complete Beans with helping to maximize their 2016 NK Soybean yields by guarding them against local SCN pressure.

“We used Clariva Complete Beans seed treatment on all our soybeans this year, and they had great standability throughout the season,” Larry Williams says. “I am a big believer in rotating fields, planting resistant varieties and using seed treatments to fight SCN and SDS.”

The addition of Mertect 340-F fungicide applied with Clariva Complete Beans helps to further protect high-value seed with added SDS protection by providing direct activity against the fungus during the establishment phase.

While growers can’t control weather conditions, they can make smart investment decisions to protect their soybeans from SDS and SCN, maximize their yield potential and increase their bottom line.

For more information about how to best protect soybeans from SDS, visit the Tools to Grow More Soybeans resource page. For more harvest stories across the U.S., visit www.KnowMoreGrowMore.com/Harvest-Chasers and follow #HarvestChasers on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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