Society of Nematologists

The Society of Nematologists (SON) is an international scientific society dedicated to the study of nematodes. SON brings together researchers, educators, professionals, and students to share information and promote the science of nematology. The society hosts an annual meeting, publishes the Journal of Nematology, and organizes an assortment of workshops, seminars, and special meetings. SON members contribute to both fundamental and applied nematology through research, education, and product development. A major focus of applied nematology is the protection of agriculture crops while fundamental nematology research explores nematode ecology, taxonomy, and biology.

History

The Society of Nematologists (SON) was founded in the early 1960s to bring together scientists in the emerging field of nematology. Modern nematology traces back to the 1920s and the pioneering work of nematologists such as Nathanial Cobb and Gotthold Steiner who demonstrated the detrimental impact of plant-parasitic nematodes on US agriculture. The introduction of chemical nematicides in the 1950s brought wide attention to nematology as farmers and policy makers witnessed the dramatic increases in yields associated with nematode management. As discipline grew, nematologists saw the need for an independent society and in 1961 formed SON. The society hosted its first meeting in 1962.

Since SON’s founding, nematology and SON have expanded to become more interdisciplinary within the biological sciences. During the 1960s and 1970s, nematology grew rapidly while focusing largely on chemical control of agriculturally important nematodes. During the 1980s, increased awareness of the negative environmental impacts of chemical nematicides prompted increased focus on non-chemical and sustainable nematode management techniques. In the following decades, shifting in priorities and advances in technologies allowed nematology to become more interdisciplinary while continuing to focus on economic and fundamental aspects of nematology.

Today, SON includes over 300 nematologists studying a diverse range of topics involving nematodes. In particular, SON maintains standing committees (subject matter committees) including Biological Control of Nematodes, Ecology, Education, Entomophilic Nematology, Extension, Industry, Plant Resistance to Nematodes, Regulatory, and Systematic Resources.

Annual Meeting

The annual meeting is the flagship event of the Society of Nematologists and brings together nematologists from academia, industry, and government to exchange information, build collaborations, and foster community. The meeting draws attendees from around the world, including extension personnel, researchers, professors, industry professionals, students, and government officials. The annual meeting includes technical scientific presentations, a graduate student research competition, a poster session, symposia, workshops, an industry-sponsored social, the annual society business meeting, standing (subject matter) committee meetings, and the annual banquet and award ceremony. Every 6^th year, SON meets with members of the International Federation of Nematology Societies (IFNS) which SON is affiliated with, at the International Congress of Nematology.

The 61^st Annual Meeting of the Society of Nematologists, July 10-13, 2024 at Columbus, Ohio.

Special Interest Groups

Besides the standing committees mentioned above, there are other special interest groups formed outside of SON but with a close tie to the society, such as the Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) Coalition, which is a public-private-checkoff organization partnership among 28 states in the U.S. and Ontario formed to increase the awareness of SCN management. Since 2023, the SCN Coalition has declared one day in October each year as International Nematode Day. In addition, four Regional Nematology Multistate Research Projects were formed following WWII. Their annual reports can be found at The National Information Management and Support System (NIMSS) supported by the State Agricultural Experiment Stations (SAES) from the Hatch Multistate Research Fund (MRF) provided by the National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

The Cobb Foundation

In 1999, SON established the Nathan A. Cobb Nematology Foundation to advance the science of nematology throughout the world. The Nathan A. Cobb Nematology Foundation funds travel grants, scholarships, and grants for workshops, special events and programs, publications, and other nematology resources. In 2025, the Nathan A. Cobb Nematology Foundation merged with SON where it continues its mission as a standing committee.

Publications

SON publishes the Journal of Nematology, a scientific peer-reviewed journal. The Journal of Nematology was established in 1969 and has continuously published scientific papers disseminating nematology research and advances. The society publishes news in the Nematology Newsletter, a quarterly publication for disseminating news and events of the society. All of these publications are now open access online (Journal of Nematology, JON archives, Nematology Newsletter).

References

Mai, M. F., & Motsinger, R. E. (1987). History of the Society of Nematologists. In J. A. Veech & D. W. Dickson (Eds.), Vistas on Nematology: A Commemoration of the Twenty-fifth Anniversary of the Society of Nematologists (pp. 1–6). Society of Nematologists, Inc.

Mc.McGawley, E. 2011. 50th Anniversary of SON video : An historic overview from 1961-2011.

Schmitt, D. P., & Schmitt, J. M. P. (2007). Agriculture, Nematology, and the Society of Nematologists. Schmitt & Associates of Marceline. 134 pp.

External links

● SON Homepage

● Journal of Nematology

[Article by Benjamin Wiseman, Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa, last updated June 18, 2025; The author acknowledges SON Executive Board and Steve Thomas for editing the article.]