Evaluation of Management Practices on the Efficacy of Pasteuria Nishizawae As a Biocontrol Agent of Soybean Cyst Nematode.

Soybean Cyst nematode (Heterodera glycines) is the most economically significant pathogen on soybean (Glycine max) in the United States, causing over $1.5 billion in damages annually. Pasteuria nishizawae is a gram postitive, endospore forming bacterium, that serves as an obligate parasite on soybean cyst nematodes (SCN). P. nishizawae has the potential to provide season-long control of SCN in the form of a seed treatment called Clariva^®Complete. In this study, we elvaluate the efficacy of the active ingredient in the Clariva^®Complete, P. nishizawae, for the management of SCN on soybean. The efficacy of the seed treatment is evaluated using a split-plot randomized complete block design with sub-sampling over two growing seasons (2014 and 2015). Experimental field design consists of 6 blocks with each block is subdivided into two split-plots (6 plots/split-plot). Each split-plot contains a randomly assigned row spacing of either 30 inches or 15 inches. Within each individual split-plot, a randomized combination of three seeding rates (75K seeds/acre, 150Kseeds/acre and 225K seeds/acre) and two seed treatments (Clariva^®Complete and CruiserMaxx^®/Vibrance^®) is applied. The different seeding rates and row spacings are used to assess the effect of management practices on the efficacy of P. nishizawae in controling SCN. Field data collection and statisical analysis are in process. Therefore, results will be determined after the 2015 growing season is completed.