Second SCN coalition: Resistance and SCN management awareness campaign

Objectives:

• Unify partners – Build a new SCN coalition to create consensus among soybean stakeholders (growers, extension, researchers, industry partners.)
• Refine the message – Create messages that make SCN resistance, testing and management relevant to growers.
• Multiply that message together – Equip SCN coalition partners with messages, training, and tools they can use to raise grower awareness of the problem and solutions.
• Develop and demonstrate management strategies – Coordinate local SCN activities to demonstrate and increase adoption of available and new SCN management tools including seed treatment nematicides, SCN type and population survey, variety performance, etc. in Ontario.
• Measure the change and return on investment – Benchmark changes in grower behaviour to measure the results of the SCN coalition.

Impacts:

• The SCN Coalition website (www.thescncoalition.com) has been established and includes Ontario-specific recommendations and information as well as grower and agronomist training videos, grower testimonials, downloadable print and electronic educational pieces and other SCN educational materials.
• The SCN Coalition awareness campaign developed and delivered a clear, unified message and awareness strategy that gives growers the knowledge and tools to actively and effectively manage SCN.
• Benchmark changes in grower practices to manage SCN was done in U.S. but due to costs and project length, a similar survey of Ontario growers will be conducted in the future.
• The campaign efforts will result in:
  • Diversification of the tools growers use to manage SCN, which will reduce selection pressure on the PI 88788 source of resistance, protecting and preserving SCN resistance in P188788 in the face of evolving pathogen (there are simply no alternative resistance sources readily available in commercial soybean varieties).
  • Improved economic sustainability of farm operations as advanced production practices that reduce grower losses are adopted.

Scientific Summary:

The most recent Crop Protection Network soybean disease loss estimates 2010-2019 found over $1 billion (USD) in economic losses due to soybean cyst nematode (SCN) annually in the northern soybean production areas including Ontario. To put it into perspective, the losses to SCN caused more than twice as much yield loss than any other disease, which is supported by Bandara et al. (PLoS One (15(4). 2020) who looked at the economic impact of soybean diseases from 1996-2006 in the U.S. In Ontario, the annual SCN losses range from $30-53 million CDN dollars even though SCN management options are available. The losses in Ontario are poised to increase dramatically in coming years as the erosion of SCN resistance conferred by PI88788 genetics becomes more common across the province. To date, Ontario’s SCN population and distribution is where many of the U.S. states were 20 years ago, and we must avoid their mistakes.

Being part of The SCN Coalition and involvement in the North American SCN strategic plan has allowed sharing of infrastructure and other resources as well as delivery of local activities and promotion of SCN awareness and management to Ontario field crop producers through the establishment and completion of SCN resistance management field demonstration trials, nematicide trials and various technology transfer activities.  Without participation in this innovative initiative, the costs and resources alone would have made these deliverables and impacts – as we ‘turn up the volume’ on SCN to growers and other soybean stakeholders – not possible.

Efforts in Ontario concentrated on SCN awareness and education, highlighting The SCN Coalition, which helped support and promote SCN Coalition materials, messaging, and activities in the province. The traditional SCN-established areas located in southwestern Ontario have seen an increase in PI88788-adapted SCN populations and hence, the focus has been on SCN type testing, modifying SCN management strategies (Peking, seed treatment nematicides, etc.), as well as demonstration trials in grower fields. In new SCN areas of the province, the focus has been assisting growers and agribusiness in identifying SCN early through scouting, soil testing and establishing a SCN management program to help reduce yield losses and PI88788 selection pressure. Education efforts concentrated on grower field days, winter meetings, nematode training for farmers and train the trainer events and others throughout the province.

External Funding Partners:

Ontario Project Activities

Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP)

The SCN Coalition Website

North Central Soybean Research Program

United Soybean Board

Project Related Publications/Resources:

For more information on soybean cyst nematode, please visit The SCN Coalition website at www.thescncoalition.com.