Syngenta Seed Care is launching an updated online training module to educate various audiences about corn nematodes and how to protect corn plants from these invisible but costly pests. In severe cases, farmers have reported yield losses approaching 50%.
“Irreversibly damaged corn plants are often the first sign that corn parasitic nematodes have infected a field,” says David Winston, Syngenta Seed Care product lead. The symptoms are often attributed to other causes, such as herbicide carryover, sandy soils and soil compaction.
Through a series of short, informative sections, participants can learn about corn nematodes, including how to identify them and prevent yield loss.
Plant-parasitic corn nematodes are microscopic, threadlike worms that infect corn plants and cause overall stunting or wilting, yellow leaves and damaged or swollen roots with lesions. There is no rescue treatment for corn nematodes, and plant health cannot be restored after infection. Yield loss is irreversible, as well.
