Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is the most serious pest of US soybeans.  Annual losses to this parasite annually were in excess of an estimated 120 million bushels during the 2006-2009 period in the US.  Using the relatively high commodity prices of the last two years, this equates to annual losses in excess of $1.5 billion per year during this period due to SCN infestation.

Over the years, many control options have been developed for the control and/or management of SCN populations.  The best option has been and still is the use of resistant varieties.  However, the SCN pest continually transforms itself into biotypes that eventually infest these resistant varieties.  Thus, breeders and researchers are continually having to develop new varieties with resistance to these new biotypes.

Recently, Syngenta announced the registration of a new bio-control nematicide seed treatment for control of SCN in soybeans.  It will be packaged with leading insecticide and fungicide seed treatments and offered for use in the 2014 growing season.

According to Syngenta, this “bio-control nematicide seed treatment is highly effective against SCN, will provide instant activity from the moment of planting, and offers season-long protection.”  It is touted to complement crop rotation practices and SCN-resistant varieties to combat this pest.

The development of this product results from Syngenta’s recent acquisition of Pasteuria Bioscience, Inc., and their partnership to develop and commercialize biological products to use against plant-parasitic nematodes using the naturally-occurring soil bacteria Pasteuria spp.

According to the Pasteuria Bioscience and US-EPA websites, the advantages of this product are:

• Pasteuria are infectious and lethal to nematodes;


• Pasteuria control nematodes without harming other organisms;


• Pasteuria are natural microbes that require only baseline personal protective equipment when handling;


• Pasteuria do not damage plants and can be applied at any time;


• No known human exposure risks; and


• Will be available in a number of formulations.

Here is how it works according to the US-EPA website.  Endospores of Pasteuria nishizawae – Pn1 attach to the cuticle of a juvenile soybean cyst nematode female.  Once an SCN female invades soybean roots,  Pasteuria nishizawae – Pn1 infects and completes its life cycle within the female soybean cyst nematode.  The resulting parasitism ultimately results in death of the infected SCN females.

I regret that I have not been successful in finding research or other data that give an objective assessment of:

• The level and/or length of control provided by this new product;


• The formulation packages it will be offered in; and


• Its cost.

However, I will diligently follow the future development of this new technology and will post any findings in future blogs on this website.

Composed by Larry G. Heatherly, Apr. 2013, larryheatherly@bellsouth.net