Soybean fields across the region may look green and thriving from the road, but beneath the surface, a hidden threat could already be taking a bite out of next season’s profits.
Plant-parasitic nematodes often feed on roots without showing obvious above-ground symptoms, leaving many growers unaware of an infestation until the combine rolls and yield maps reveal the loss.
As farmers turn their attention to planning for next growing season, Logan Dinkla, an agronomy service representative for Syngenta, says these microscopic pests remain one of the most overlooked risks to crop performance.
He says, “Many growers don’t even realize they have a nematode issue until we get to the end of the year, we’re at harvest, and the soybean field just didn’t quite yield how we might have liked. So, you start looking at yield maps, and you can kind of pick out some issues. Soybean cyst nematode, for example, remains the most damaging pest in the U.S., while root-knot nematode is becoming a bigger concern as we look at warmer geographies”
Dinkla emphasizes that integrating targeted seed treatments alongside soil testing and resistant varieties is key to keeping nematode populations in check and safeguarding yield potential.
He continues, “It’s all about how we manage them and reduce the yield impact that they are causing, and there are several ways to manage it. A lot of times, we like to use multiple approaches. Start with soil sampling to figure out what we have. Crop rotation to a non-crop host like corn, for example, helps a lot, versus going beans on beans year after year, which can really cause populations to increase. Use an SCN-resistant variety, and then use an effective seed treatment nematicide like Victrato.”
To learn more about nematode management strategies and Victrato seed treatment, visit Syngenta-US.com.
