STARKVILLE, Miss. -- The Mississippi State University Extension Service is offering another year of free testing for often overlooked nematode pests that frequently cause poor crop performance.

Soil-dwelling root-knot, reniform and soybean cyst nematodes are the most damaging nematode pests of soybeans in Mississippi. Although improper fertilization, lack of water or disease problems are often suspected in poorly performing fields, nematodes are sometimes the real culprits.

Since November 2019, MSU Extension has offered free nematode testing program for Mississippi soybean producers. This free service has been extended through August 2021, supported with soybean checkoff dollars through a partnership with the Soybean Cyst Nematode Coalition. Learn more about this program at https://www.thescncoalition.com/.

To have soil tested for nematodes, submit Mississippi soil samples to the MSU Extension Plant Diagnostic Lab on campus in Starkville. The diagnostic lab will perform a complete nematode analysis and provide a report on all plant parasitic nematodes found in each sample.
To qualify, a free soybean nematode sample submission form must accompany each sample. These forms are available at https://extension.msstate.edu/lab. Samples can be mailed to the address provided on the form or dropped off in person.

Results are usually available within two weeks.