Disease Note

First Field Observation of the Soybean Cyst Nematode in Kansas. T. Sim IV, Kansas State Board of Agriculture, Topeka 66612. T. C. Todd, Plant Pathology Department, Kansas State University, Manhattan 66506. Plant Dis. 70:603. Accepted for publication 21 February 1986. Copyright 1986 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-70-603g.

A field infestation of the soybean cyst nematode (Heterodera glycines Ichinoe) was found for the first time in Kansas 13 August 1985 in a soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) field in Doniphan County in extreme northeastern Kansas. A second infested field was found 27 August 1985 on a different farm approximately 8 km from the first field. Less than 5% of the plants in both fields showed typical soybean cyst nematode symptoms. Bioassays revealed that the nematodes from both fields belonged to race 3. This nematode was found in 1976 in soil clinging to used farm machinery brought into Kansas from another state; the machinery was steam-cleaned before use in any Kansas fields. Further surveys will be conducted to identify infested areas.