Planting season is right around the corner and so are the pests.
Soybean cyst nematode causes problems for growers every year. A researcher explains why they are so hard to eradicate.
“The worm is about 100th of an inch long, and it’s confusing to people, perhaps also because it goes into the root and attaches to the vascular tissue of the soybean root, but then it swells up. The adult female eventually gets so big that she pops out of the root, and you can see her as a little white dot on the surface of the root. In fact, that’s one way we advise farmers and agronomists to check fields for SCN. Wait till five or six weeks after planting, and then, pretty much, through to August, maybe mid-August, dig roots and look for those little white females,” said Dr. Greg Tylka.
He warns nematode resistance will be a challenge in the future. The current resistance took around 20 years to fall apart.
Farmer Bridge Assistance payments provide immediate balance-sheet support heading into 2026, but remain a short-term bridge rather than a substitute for long-term market recovery.
January 05, 2026 10:17 AM
·
Record yields are cushioning production declines, but softer prices underscore the importance of cost control and market timing for vegetable growers.
December 28, 2025 08:00 AM
·
Strong global demand and falling stocks suggest continued price volatility for U.S. coffee buyers despite record world production.
December 26, 2025 03:00 PM
·
Fewer acres and stronger prices suggest disciplined hop production is supporting market balance despite lower output.
December 25, 2025 06:00 PM
·
Benchmark machinery costs against those of similar-sized, high-performing operations to inform equipment and investment decisions.
December 25, 2025 12:00 PM
·
Record pace corn exports are helping stabilize prices despite softer global grain production and ongoing supply competition.
December 25, 2025 06:00 AM
·
