Soybean cyst nematode has been a familiar challenge for Iowa soybean growers for decades, but the pest continues to adapt to some of the tools farmers have relied on to manage it.
BASF is preparing to launch Nemisphere in 2028, a new soybean trait designed to provide another option for managing SCN. Mike McCarville of BASF says one concern is the declining effectiveness of resistance sources widely used in soybean varieties.
McCarville says PI 88788 once provided around 95 percent control of SCN, but its effectiveness has declined considerably after years of widespread use. He says simply shifting heavily toward another existing resistance source, such as Peking, could eventually create a similar resistance problem.
Nemisphere is designed to address that challenge by combining two modes of action. McCarville says the trait pairs a native source of SCN resistance with the Cry14 protein, which BASF believes will provide a more durable approach to managing the pest.
BASF has received global regulatory approval for Nemisphere, allowing the company to expand its work with the technology during the 2027 growing season ahead of the planned commercial launch.
BASF plans additional trials in 2027 as it continues preparing Nemisphere and soybean varieties carrying the trait for commercial availability in 2028.
While that new technology moves toward the marketplace, McCarville says growers should continue actively managing SCN with the tools available today. That includes sampling fields, understanding SCN populations, and working with agronomists to determine where changes in management may be needed.
We’ll have more from BASF in the coming days on SCN management and the technology the company is developing ahead of the planned Nemisphere launch.
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