Juvenile. Crafty. Thief.

Each of these three words can be used in describing soybean cyst nematode, an important threat to soybean profitability. In reality, it is the juvenile SCN that infects soybean roots, and usually in somewhat sneaky fashion, steal yield from soybean farmers. Many crop managers are unaware of such thievery in their fields.

If you want to learn more, plan to attend a 1-3 p.m. Soybean Cyst Nematode Field Day in Shelby County, Ohio on the afternoon of Sept. 2. To answer questions related to SCN, the Ohio Agriculture Research and Development Center’s (OARDC) Dr. Anne Dorrance, in conjunction with the soybean checkoff, worked with us to plant a replicated plot of SCN resistant varieties on a field south of Sidney. Farmed by Jason Frantom, the acreage has shown symptoms of Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) in past years. SDS is a disease often associated with the existence of soybean cyst nematode within a field. Dr. Dorrance plans to detail management strategies of all soybean diseases and respond to farmer questions.

A bullet we dodged this year was the soybean aphid.
Renowned entomologists across the Midwest predicted swarms of the pests would attack soybeans in 2009.

In our area, we doubt that any fields justified treatment for the juice sucking critter this year. For the most part, we were spared weather systems that were expected to carry large reinforcements to join aphids that overwintered locally.

We are also learning that insect predators, primarily lady bugs, may be playing a big part in keeping aphid numbers below economic threshold levels need to justify spraying.
The OARDC’s Dr. Mary Gardiner plans to share some of her lady bug population research at the Sept. 2 field day.

Gardiner has tracked lady bug populations locally and several other Ohio locations this year in 15-inch row soybeans, long-term CRP fields and alfalfa fields.

Come to learn more about these friendly insects and Dr. Gardiner’s “Buckeye Lady Blitz”, a volunteer-based lady bug monitoring program.

This was at least the fifth consecutive year we have monitored a soybean sentinel plot on a weekly basis during the growing season.
Originally established as part of a nationwide soybean rust monitoring system, the program has morphed into an overall regular pest check, with reports forwarded on to Ohio State researchers. The 2009 Sentinel Plot is located at the field day site and we will discuss our observations on that day.

We invite all soybean farmers to the site just west of I-75, at the corner of E. Lockington and Miami River Roads, next to the Great Miami River. No registration is necessary.

More on cover crops
Just 20 minutes west and south of us, in Miami County, a Cover Crop Field Day is scheduled for 4-8 p.m. on Sept. 2 as well.

That educational opportunity consists of in-field presentations on the beneficial impacts of cover crops for your soil and your income.
An Aug. 28 registration is needed to guarantee you a meal at the session sponsored by the Stillwater Watershed Project, Agriculture for a Clean Environment (ACE) and others. Please contact 937-548-1715 (Ext. 3) or 937-335-7645 for more details.
I hope to see you at each event!

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments for Roger Bender may write to him in care of this publication.