b'Unmasking a Silent Soybean Yield ThiefBASFs Nemasphere is the first new soybean cyst nematode trait in morethan 60 years.By Aimee Nielson, Seed World U.S. EditorGROWERS AND RESEARCHERShave been battlingone yield-reducing pathogen of soybean in the United States, Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) for decades. Most growersand really, worldwide. dont even know they have SCN until its too late and once its inThe pest siphons an estimated $1.5 billion from U.S. farmers the soil, its there to stay. BASF is making waves with its latestevery year. trait development: Nemasphere, which they describe as anIf you add up pathogens two through five, they equal what advanced solution for combating the pest. SCN is the numberSCN does, he notes. A lot of the yield loss that we see from one yield-reducing pathogen for soybeans around the world. Atsoybean cyst nematode is kind of silent. The crop looks pretty the forefront of this breakthrough are Michael McCarville andgood. You dont see any obvious above-ground symptoms, but Julia Daum, two experts from BASF who have been dedicatedyou can have yield losses up to 20% in that range.to solving this silent yet devastating issue. Their passion for sus- For farmers, this means they may not even know they have tainable agriculture and novel pest management methods hasa problem until the damage is done. By then, reclaiming lost led to the development of a trait that promises to reshape howground is an uphill battle. McCarvilles goal isnt just to help farmers tackle nematode infestations. growers identify SCNits to empower them to halt its impacts BASFs launch materials state SCN has stolen billions in yieldsbefore it starts. and profits from farmers over the past five decades. SCN isWere looking at solving problems before they become obvi-abundant in soybean fields. It steals yields, profits, and world- ous to the farmer, he states, highlighting the need for proactive, feeding potential every day, McCarville says. 2024 marks thereliable solutions.50th year that SCN has been the number one disease issue in the United Statesa sobering milestone. The Long Road to InnovationResearchers across the seed sector have spent decadesJulia Daum, a BASF program leader in trait research, has been studying ways to combat SCN, but progress has been limited,on the frontlines of this quest for almost two decades. leaving growers dependent on outdated, increasingly ineffec- I remember thinking that if we could come up with a novel tive native resistance traits. This year, BASF has stepped forwardsolution for soybean cyst nematode, it would be a game-with a potentially game-changing solution. changer for the farmer, she recalls. From the beginning, Daum and her team saw potential in Exposing the Hidden Threat novel cry proteins, which had already proven effective for insect SCN is no small problem. As McCarville, BASFs trait develop- control. She sought a similar protein that would work on nema-ment manager, explains, Soybean cyst nematode is the numbertodes.10/ SEEDWORLD.COMDECEMBER 2024'