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Selecting the
best soybean cyst nematode-resistant varieties can increase
profits for soybean growers |
Urbana, Illinois
October 18, 2005
Some soybean growers could increase their profits by as much as
$100 per acre or more simply by planting the highest-yielding
varieties with high levels of resistance to the specific type of
soybean cyst nematode (SCN) found in their fields, according to
a recent analysis of results from the variety trials conducted
at the University of Illinois
(U of I).
"The exact amount of increased profit in any given year will
vary depending on the current price of soybeans," said Terry
Niblack, professor of cyst nematode management in the Department
of Crop Sciences at the U of I. "In 2004, the amount ranged from
about $85 dollar to nearly $115 per acre based on results from
three different parts of the state."
She points out that those numbers resulted from a comparison
between the highest-yielding resistant varieties matched to the
SCN population in the field and lower-yielding varieties that
were also highly resistant but not matched to a particular SCN
population.
"It is important to note that this method will not work for
everyone," Niblack said. "It is effective only when the SCN
pressure in a field is high. Another requirement is that
SCN-resistant varieties have been grown in that field in the
past because that is what allows the nematodes to adapt to the
source of resistance."
For growers who meet the criteria, the system requires only a
few relatively simple steps to cash in on the increased profits.
The first step is to take a soil sample from an individual
field. Details on the proper procedures for taking a sample and
preparing it for shipment are available on the website for the
Plant Health Initiative at
www.planthealth.info.
The samples can then be submitted to the nematology lab at the U
of I for an SCN type test. The mailing address is Nematology
Lab, Department of Crop Sciences, AW101 Turner Hall, University
of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801.
"We will do an egg count first," Niblack said. "If the level is
less than 3,000 eggs per 100 cubic centimeters of soil, then no
further tests will be conducted. In such a case, the field does
not meet the criteria for the system to work."
Samples that pass the first step are then analyzed to determine
the exact SCN type in a field. This greenhouse procedure takes a
minimum of 30 days to complete.
The cost is $20 for the egg count and $50 for the SCN type test.
The final amount is billed directly to the person submitting the
sample.
"Once the test is completed, the next step is for growers to
select one of the highest-yielding varieties with high
resistance to the type of nematodes in a specific field,"
Niblack said. "That information is readily available on the
website for the Varietal Information Program for Soybeans, which
is more commonly referred to as VIPS."
VIPS serves as a tool for the analysis of the performance of
soybean varieties. Funding for the site is provided by the
Illinois Soybean Checkoff Board.
"VIPS provides a wide range of information on most of the
soybean varieties included in the U of I's variety trials
conducted from 1998 to the present," Niblack said. "Included in
the variety comparisons is information on yields and protein and
oil content, as well as resistance to various SCN types."
She notes that the site at www.vipsoybeans.org provided
performance data for more than 850 varieties from 72 seed
companies in 2004. The latest results are posted on VIPS each
year during the month of November.
"By following those steps, growers who meet the criteria can
easily cash in with improved yields in their fields," Niblack.
"The final step in the process is as simple as depositing the
increased profits in the bank."
Author: Rob Wynstra |
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