Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) is the most destructive pathogen of soybeans in the United States with annual yield losses due to SCN estimated at more than $1 billion. Yield losses caused by SCN are often underestimated because the nematode can be present in fields without causing any noticeable aboveground symptoms. In an effort to increase soybean farmers’ awareness of soybean cyst nematode, the SCN Coalition is naming October 6, 2025, National Nematode Day.

Recently members of the SCN Coalition met in Columbus, Ohio to discuss the latest research and updates on their current initiatives. On this episode of the Ohio Field Leader Podcast Greg Tylka, Professor in the Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology at Iowa State University; Geroge Bird, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Entomology at Michigan State University; and Albert Tenuta, Extension Plant Pathologist at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Agribusiness at the University of Guelph all joined the Ohio Field Leader to discuss the origins of the SCN Coalition and share their vision for the future.

In a time of low commodity prices, late season soybean disease management is important as growers make decisions to help reduce plant stress and potentially increase or simply preserve soybean yield potential. Equally important is knowing when a treatment is no longer necessary and when it may actually be a waste of money and time. Diseases such as septoria brown spot, downy mildew, white mold, and many other foliar diseases such as frog eye leaf spot can often be observed as the long hot summer days fade into cooler fall weather. Dr. Horacio-Lopez Nicora, OSU Extension Soybean Pathologist and Nematologist visits with Dusty to discuss the current growing conditions in Ohio's soybean fields, and factors that growers should consider before making a late season fungicide application to their crop. They also discuss the great resources available to farmers at the Crop Protection Network.

Red Crown Rot has officially been confirmed in Ohio. Dr. Horacio Lopez-Nicora joins Dusty on this special episode to discuss the finding and what it means to Ohio soybean growers going forward. They discuss what is known about the disease, basic management strategies moving forward, and how Ohio farmers can submit soybean plant samples for free testing and identification thanks to the Ohio Soybean Council and Soybean Check-off.