Researchers from the University of Illinois have developed a method of testing soil Soybean Cyst Nematode populations for virulence that can be performed in a matter of hours instead of the 4-6 weeks required for the existing type test.

This test, in the form of a qPCR assay, makes use of genetic sequences found in SCN to determine whether a particular cyst is avirulent or virulent on either of two commercially available resistant soybean plant lines, Peking and PI88788. Hghaem, the SCN gene, can also be used in marker-assisted selection to find soybean plants suitable for breeding lines specifically resistant against SCN virulence genes.

This test is faster than the existing type test, does not require a greenhouse, is more cost effective, and can be performed on a greater number of samples at a time.