** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THERE ARE NUMEROUS BIOLOGICAL SEED TREATMENTS MARKETED TO SOYBEAN FARMERS IN THE U.S, WITH MULTIPLE MICROBIALLY ACTIVE INGREDIENTS AND MANY PROPOSED BENEFITS. FARMERS ARE BOMBARDED WITH MARKETING CLAIMS, WITH VERY LITTLE THIRD-PARTY EVIDENCE ON THE ABILITY OF THESE SEED TREATMENTS TO IMPROVE YIELD AND PROFITABILITY. WITH FARMERS FACING HIGH INPUT PRICES AND AN INCREASING NEED TO PRODUCE HIGH-YIELDING SOYBEAN IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE MANNER, THIS PROJECT IS IMPORTANT AND TIMELY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND BIOLOGICAL SEED TREATMENTS AND THEIR POTENTIAL IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY. THIS PROJECT ALIGNS WITH THE PRIORITY AREA OF PLANT HEALTH AND PRODUCTION AND PLANT PRODUCTS. SPECIFICALLY, THIS PROJECT WILL HELP IDENTIFY AND TRANSLATE THE PLANT PRODUCTION AND PROTECTION PRACTICES OF BIOLOGICAL SEED TREATMENTS TO FARMERS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS. OBJECTIVES ARE TO: 1) IDENTIFY SITUATIONS WHERE BIOLOGICAL SEED TREATMENTS IMPROVE GRAIN YIELD AND PROFITABILITY, AND 2) EVALUATE SOYBEAN NUTRIENT STATUS AND PROTECTION FROM INSECTS, DISEASES, AND SOYBEAN CYST NEMATODE (SCN). PROJECT OBJECTIVES WILL BE ACHIEVED THROUGH A COMMON FIELD EXPERIMENT IN 19 STATES AND APPROXIMATELY 120 ENVIRONMENTS. NINE COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE BIOLOGICAL SEED TREATMENTS WILL BE EVALUATED AND COMPARED TO A NONTREATED CONTROL. MEASUREMENTS WILL INCLUDE BASELINE SOIL PROPERTIES, SCN REPRODUCTION FACTOR, SOYBEAN PLANT STAND, PLANT NUTRIENT STATUS, GRAIN PROTEIN AND OIL, GRAIN YIELD, AND PROFITABILITY. OUTCOMES OF THIS PROJECT ARE EXPECTED TO LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ECONOMICALLY SUSTAINABLE PROVEN AND PROFITABLE STRATEGIES THAT PROMOTE STEWARDSHIP OF NATURAL RESOURCES.