Click here to learn more about corn nematodes via an online tutorial that will provide you with a better understanding of corn nematode species, crop symptoms, detection and sampling, damage and management options. Upon completion of the tutorial and the quiz that follows, you will be eligible to receive one CCA continuing education credit.
For a better understanding of corn pests and the harmful effects they can have on crops if left untreated, click here to access the Avicta Complete Corn online tutorial. You will learn how Avicta Complete Corn can help increase yield and profit potential.
Invisible to the naked eye, nematodes are lurking in corn fields across the country. Reduced tillage, the decreased use of in-furrow insecticides and an increase in continuous corn acreage have created an environment for plant parasitic nematodes to build up economically damaging populations, eating away at corn yields season after season.
Plant parasitic nematodes are microscopic, threadlike roundworms that inhabit the soil and feed on root systems of crops.
- Corn parasitic nematodes occur in every soil type, not just sandy soils.
- Symptoms can include chlorosis, stunting, root damage and yield loss.
- In contrast to soybeans, there are several types of nematodes that can damage corn.
Due to the difficulty involved in precisely identifying nematode damage, nematode injury is oftentimes mistaken for different problems.
- Damage such as discoloration, stunting and reduction in stalk diameter and root weight is often misdiagnosed as herbicide injury, disease, micronutrient deficiencies or the result of harsh environmental conditions such as drought.
- Some species do not cause direct injury on their own, rather they interact with other problems, such as fungal pathogens and insects, and intensify the symptoms.
Changing production practices are escalating corn nematode populations and increasing their threat to top-quality corn production.
- In the past, organophosphate and carbamate insecticides have secondarily provided some suppression of nematodes, minimizing nematode populations to the point that damage went unnoticed. The switch to pyrethroid insecticides and the introduction of transgenic insect-resistant corn has left the door open for nematodes to thrive.
- The increase in no-till farming operations has created a more hospitable environment for some plant parasitic nematodes, which are sensitive to soil disturbance.
- Increased corn-on-corn production gives nematode populations the resources to thrive year-after-year.
There are three categories of corn nematodes that are classified by how they feed on roots:
- Endoparasitic – completely enters the host to feed from within
- Semi-endoparasitic – partially enters the root to feed, but also feeds from the outside
- Ectoparasitic – feeds only from the outside
Nematodes are causing damage in corn fields across the United States. Click on the links below to hear what researchers are saying about this growing concern.
- Dr. Tim Todd, professor of plant pathology, Kansas State University
"I certainly think nematodes are a pest that growers in Kansas need to be concerned about. Corn nematodes are a chronic problem year in and year out. The sting nematode is a big problem in localized areas, and also the lesion because it occurs almost everywhere. It's always a concern and always capable of causing something like a five to 10 percent yield loss."
- Dr. George Bird, professor of plant pathology, Michigan State University
"In Michigan, we have some nematode problems in corn production that growers should be concerned about, but may not be aware of the damage they cause. If nematodes are a problem, you will not meet your yield goals regardless of soil fertility and management programs. The Penetrans root-lesion nematode is the most widely distributed nematode in the state. It has a very broad host range. It's a nematode problem that can be taking five to 10 bushels off of your yield across an entire field. Another nematode that Michigan corn growers should be aware of is the corn needle nematode – it can be a major problem in sandy sites."
Videos
View these videos to learn more about how Avicta Complete Corn works.
CruiserMaxx® contains three of the active ingredients found in Avicta Complete Corn. View this video to see how a Syngenta seed treatment product can get your crop off to a strong start.
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Avicta® Duo Corn is a Restricted Use Pesticide.