Fall is always a good time for soil tests, and following the hot, dry summer of 2021, this is also a good time to test for soybean cyst nematode.

“Soybean cyst nematode, un­fortunately, loves hot, dry soil, so I am expecting higher than ever numbers from fall samples,” said Greg Tylka, professor in plant pathology and microbiology at Iowa State University (ISU).

SCN is a small plant-parasitic roundworm that attacks the roots of soybeans. It is the most economically significant pest of soybeans in Iowa and has been found in all 99...