Winter Greenhouse Assays at Michigan Ag Research: SCN & SDS on Soybean

​Summary: Michigan Ag Research is accepting projects for winter greenhouse (GH) assays targeting Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) and Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS). These controlled studies help product developers and breeders generate decision-ready data before field season.

Why winter GH assays?
Greenhouse assays provide tight environmental control and reliable pathogen/nematode pressure, enabling rapid iteration on formulations, rates, and placements. Running in winter means you can refine programs now and head into spring trials with greater confidence.

What we offer

SCN assays (Heterodera glycines)

• Standard reproduction assays (eggs/females per root system)
• Variety resistance screens and product efficacy comparisons

SDS assays (commonly Fusarium virguliforme)

• Inoculated disease pressure with consistent symptom expression
• Foliar severity, root necrosis ratings, vigor, and area-under-disease-progress (AUDPC)

Study design & execution

• Protocol development aligned to your objectives
• Randomized, replicated designs; positive/negative controls
• Validated inoculum and QC checkpoints

Data & reporting

• Interim updates with photos
• Final report with stats (ANOVA, mean separation) and visuals suitable for internal decks or investor updates

Typical timelines

• Protocol lock-in: 1–2 weeks from kick-off
• Assay run: ~6–10 weeks depending on endpoint
• Report delivery: within 1–2 weeks after last rating

Best-fit use cases

• Seed treatments, biologicals, and chemistries in lead selection
• Rate optimization prior to field testing
• Variety resistance characterization and ranking

 
Get started
Tell us your target pest/disease, product class, endpoints, and timeline. We’ll propose a right-sized design with sample sizes, controls, and reporting milestones.
 
Michigan Ag Research (Albion, MI) Contact:
Brian Cortright at (517) 857-2676
[email protected]

FAQs: Winter Greenhouse Assays for Soybean (SCN & SDS)

1. What problems can you test this winter?
   Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) and Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) in controlled greenhouse conditions.
   
   
2. What endpoints do you measure?
   SCN: eggs/females per root system, root mass.
   SDS: foliar severity and incidence, root necrosis, vigor/biomass, AUDPC.
   
   
3. What is AUDPC and why use it?
   A single metric summarizing disease over time; it captures both severity and duration—ideal for comparing treatments or varieties.
   
   
4. What products/solutions fit these assays?
   Seed treatments, biologicals, chemistries, coatings, and variety resistance screens (early down-selection, rate finding, or head-to-head comparisons).
   
   
5. What organism do you use for SDS?
   Typically Fusarium virguliforme under standardized inoculation to produce consistent symptom expression.
   
   
6. How long does a study take?
   Most GH assays run ~6–10 weeks depending on endpoints, plus 1–2 weeks for the final report.
   
   
7. How are studies designed?
   Randomized, replicated designs with appropriate controls (untreated, grower standard, positive checks).
   
   
8. What do I need to provide to kick off?
   Your objectives, target endpoints, product class, desired comparisons, timing constraints, and sample material (seed/treatments).
   
   
9. What do I receive at the end?
   A report with methods, QC notes, statistics (e.g., ANOVA with mean separation), tables/graphs, raw data files (CSV/XLSX), and photo documentation. Interim photo/status updates available.
   
   
10. Can you fast-track for internal gates or investor updates?
    Yes—ask for a milestone schedule with interim summaries suitable for slide decks.
    
    
11. Do you support blinded or coded samples?
    Absolutely. We can maintain blind codes throughout data collection/analysis on request.
    
    
12. How much material do you need?
    Varies by design; typical ranges are 200–1,000+ seeds per treatment for replicated assays. We’ll specify exact amounts in the protocol.
    
    
13. Can results inform 2026 field trials?
    Yes—GH outputs help rank treatments, rates, and varieties to sharpen your field plan and reduce weak entries.
    
    
14. Data ownership and confidentiality?
    All sponsor-generated data belong to you under our standard CDA/SOW. We do not share or publish without written permission.
    
    
15. Biosecurity & QC—what safeguards are in place?
    Validated inoculum, documented handling, sanitation protocols, check treatments, and pre-defined QC acceptance criteria.