Partnership is part of Fourth Annual SCN Action Month

Research Triangle Park, NC (September 27, 2024) – For the fourth year, BASF Agricultural Solutions and The SCN Coalition are partnering during SCN Action Month. Throughout October, the organizations will provide farmers with the latest research, tools and resources needed to effectively manage soybean cyst nematodes (SCN) during the 2025 season.

BASF and The SCN Coalition are eager to continue raising awareness of SCN – the leading cause of soybean yield loss in North America and a pest that impacts nearly all soybean growing geographies1. BASF and The SCN Coalition recommend farmers proactively sample fields post-harvest for nematodes to safeguard crop health and maximize their yields. Farmers are encouraged to take action by connecting with their BASF business representatives and visiting SCNfields.com to learn more about the prevalence of SCN, and to determine the economic toll from SCN in their field.

“In our conversations with farmers, we find that many still do not realize they have SCN or aren’t convinced it’s an issue in their fields,” says Dylan Mangel, University of Nebraska Extension plant pathologist and a leader of The SCN Coalition. “October soil testing is key to uncovering this issue. Awareness is crucial because when farmers discover their numbers, they can develop an active SCN management plan for the upcoming year.”

Left unmanaged, SCN populations can significantly reduce yields and their feeding creates additional vectors for soybean sudden death syndrome (SDS) and other soilborne diseases. In the U.S. alone SCN causes more than a $1.5 billion revenue loss to soybean yields annually2. Over the past three season, SCN were present in greater than 80% of 6,000 soil samples BASF received, including damaging levels of nematodes in more than half of the samples. As BASF continues to receive more samples each year, the data underscores the widespread nature of SCN across the U.S. and the need to implement preventative measures.

Timely solid sampling allows farmers to make informed decisions about preventive management based on their own field data. Several actions can be taken to combat SCN including: sampling fields for nematodes, rotating crops, planting a resistant variety and investing in an effective seed treatment.

ILEVO® seed treatment is the only proven treatment that protects against both SCN and SDS, a costly disease that is often exacerbated by SCN. ILEVO protects against the unpredictability of nematodes as well as SDS, helping produce strong stands and healthy roots.

BASF engagement with SCN Action Month is part of our commitment to helping farmers doing the Biggest Job on Earth. BASF provides both education and innovation related to SCN. BASF invests about $3 million per day in innovation or more than $1 billion annually in comprehensive agricultural solutions alone. This year BASF has furthered its commitment to research and innovation; in fact, more than 250,000 acres have been allocated for research plots in 2024.

Join BASF and The SCN Coalition to actively manage SCN by sampling your fields for nematodes this fall. Visit SCNActionMonth.com or talk to your local BASF representative for more information about active SCN management as you plan for the 2025 season. Receive up-to-date news releases from BASF via push notification on your smartphone. Register for our news service at basf.com/pushnews.

1. SCNFields.com

2. Crop Protection Network annual disease loss estimates 

About BASF’s Agricultural Solutions division

Everything we do, we do for the love of farming. Farming is fundamental to provide enough healthy and affordable food for a rapidly growing population, while reducing environmental impacts. That’s why we are working with partners and experts to integrate sustainability criteria into all business decisions. With €900 million in 2023, we continue to invest in a strong R&D pipeline, combining innovative thinking with practical action in the field. Our solutions are purpose-designed for different crop systems. Connecting seeds and traits, crop protection products, digital tools and sustainability approaches, to help deliver the best possible outcomes for farmers, growers and our other stakeholders along the value chain. With teams in the lab, field, office and in production, we do everything in our power to build a sustainable future for agriculture. In 2023, our division generated sales of €10.1 billion. For more information, please visit www.agriculture.basf.com or our social media channels.

About BASF

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has approximately 16,000 employees in North America and had sales of $20.5 billion in 2023. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.com/us.

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 112,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €68.9 billion in 2023. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States. Further information at www.basf.com.