Symptoms of soybean cyst nematode on soybeans consist of yellowing and stunting of plants that usually occur in patches in a field. Infected plants may become discolored (chlorotic), stunted, or necrotic due to feeding by the female nematodes. These symptoms tend to be more extreme in fields with high levels of soybean cyst nematode and when plants are stressed due to low fertility or drought. Highly infested areas in fields may be oval to somewhat elliptical in outline, with the most severe damage in the center with less damage toward the margin.