Cysts of the soybean cyst nematode. Photo credit: Terry Niblack, University of Illinois

Sampling for SCN to evaluate the success of a soybean cyst management program

Recommended technique: Collect a soil sample and have the SCN population density determined.

When to sample
You can take a soil sample to check on the progress of a SCN management plan at almost any time of the year. But if you want to monitor the effectiveness of your SCN management program over several years, you should sample at the same point in the management program each time (say after a year of resistant soybeans or nonhost crop).

Generally avoid sampling frozen or saturated soil since these samples are harder to process and that may affect the accuracy of the results obtained. Fall is often the best time to sample as you plan for the next crop year.

How to sample
You probably already have the equipment you need for sampling soil for SCN. You'll use the same equipment you use for taking a soil sample for soil nutrient analysis: a soil probe, a bucket, and a plastic or plastic-lined soil bag.

Sample the top 6 to 8 inches of soil. Take cores from within the root zone or from within the interrow area.

You'll want to take 10 to 20 cores in a 10 acre area. If the field is larger, break the field into 10 to 15 acre units and take 10 to 20 cores per unit. Use a zig-zag pattern to collect the soil cores.

OR, if you are already collecting soil samples on a 2.4 or 2.5 acre grid pattern, collect two extra cores from every 8 or 9 grid cells, and place those extra cores in a separate bag for SCN testing.

The more cores, the better the sample
No matter what sampling pattern you use, the more cores you take, the better the estimate of SCN population density across the field. SCN is tiny, it is not uniformly distributed and it doesn't move far on it's own. Therefore, SCN tends to be aggregated or clustered in fields and soil sample results tend to be highly variable.

You may also want to include samples from a suspect, or high risk area, such as

• near a field entrance
• areas that have been flooded at one time
• areas of high soil pH (greater than 7)
• areas where weed control isn't quite as good
• areas where the yield seemed to be a little low the last time soybeans were grown
• along fence lines where wind-blown soil accumulates.

Mixing and packing the soil sample

Bulk the cores in a container and mix thoroughly. Take the time to mix the sample. The better the sample is mixed the better it represents the whole field.

Put 1 to 2 pints of the thoroughly-mixed soil in a plastic bag and label it with an indelible marker. Don't put a paper label inside the bag. The moist soil will make it unreadable by the time the sample reaches the lab. 

The sample doesn't really require any special handling. You'll want to keep the sample at room or field temperatures. Keep the sample out of the sun or hot truck cab until you are ready to pack and ship it.

Pack the samples in a box for shipment to a qualified soil lab as described the Diagnostic Tools: How to send a Sample. Cushion the samples with packing material so the bags don't break open during shipping.

Where to send the sample
University or Extension plant diagnostic clinics or University nematologists usually offer SCN testing. Check these links to state diagnostic labs for a testing location in your state. Some private labs also offer SCN testing, but not all soil fertility labs are trained to test for SCN - make sure your lab can test for SCN before shipping the sample. 

Make sure you include your name, address and phone number with your sample. Including cropping history of the field, symptoms of problems observed and cropping plans for the next season are helpful in making recommendations for management if SCN is confirmed. Often there is an Information Request Form that can be printed out from the clinic web site. 

What to do if SCN is detected

Many labs report SCN eggs or eggs and juveniles per volume of soil, while other labs report the number of cysts. Cyst and egg counts are not directly comparable but keep in mind that a low cyst count does not equal a low egg count since each cyst can contain hundreds of eggs.

If you find out you have SCN, don't panic. Although SCN is a serious soybean pest, it can be managed profitably. Extension personnel and publications can help explain your test results and make management recommendations based on those results.

Interpreting SCN soil testing results   (pdf)
Iowa State University

Photos and text from SCN Symptoms and Soil Sampling slide set, courtesy of Greg Tylka, Iowa State University.
Questions? Please contact Greg Tylka Iowa State University

Information on these pages is from the cooperative effort of researchers throughout the North Central states. Information from this site can be copied and distributed for educational use. Please credit the source with our name and URL: NCSRP Plant Health Initiative at www.planthealth.info. Please do not use copyrighted photos without permission.