By CHS Agronomy

Nufarm is no newbie to the seed treatment arena, with more than 35 years of seed treatment product formulation sales and marketing expertise. Since the 1970's, they’ve become a powerhouse provider of seed treatment solutions, offering more options and treatment packages than any other crop protection company. They’ve done so by listening intently to the needs of the industry and their customers, providing knockout solutions for some of today’s most difficult and challenging treatment applications, like Trunemco^TM, a seed treatment for fighting nematodes. Trunemco^TM helps knock out nematode feeding and establishment by activating a plant’s natural defense system to deliver true nematode control.

We stepped into the ring with Nufarm to answer some of your hard-hitting questions about seed treatment and protection from nematodes.

Q1: What is the current situation with nematodes in soybeans, corn and cotton?

Nematodes continue to be a widespread problem. They are present across key growing areas and cause yield drag through damaged roots in soybean, cotton and corn crops, estimated at $10 billion loss in US yield annually, which has retailers and growers alike looking for new nematode technology.

Q2: Why is new nematode technology needed?

There are three main reasons why retailers and growers need new nematode technology. The first is escalation. Nematodes continue to spread, and pressure is intensifying in key US growing regions, resulting in further yield losses. The second is solution resistance. This is especially the case in soybeans where we have resistance to many of the current solutions available. The third reason is limited choices. Current there are limited number of effective seed applied nematicide protection options available to growers.

Q3: What nematode species should retailers and growers be on the lookout for in 2022?

In soybeans, we're going to look for Soybean Cyst Nematode, Reniform and Root Knot nematodes. With that said, soybean cyst nematodes are the most prolific nematode in soybeans, and therefore the most important to control. They are very aggressive and then we're seeing the nematodes overcome some of the soybean varieties that have a resistance built. We're also finding there is low grower awareness to nematodes in soybeans, as the belief is that the resistant trait is controlling the pest. This can further contribute to the problem. How are we finding this out? The frequency of the soybean cyst nematode populations is increasing near 10% of reproduction and when this is increasing, we understand that the resistance to the trait is starting to grow.

For those growing cotton, we focus on Root Knot, Reniform and Columbia Lane nematodes. The highest damage nematode is the Root Knot Nematode, which attacks cotton in irregularly shaped areas in the field, stunting plant growth and lessening stand.

In corn, growers should be on the looking our Root Knot, Lesion, Lance, Sting and Needle nematodes. Nematode damage in corn is common and frequently misdiagnosed as a lack of nitrogen or a lack of fertility. The ideal timing for nematode sampling in corn is prior to the growth stage of V5. When sampling corn, retailers and growers need to not only grab a soil sample, but we need to be able to be probing through the root mass below the plant so that we can pick up to properly identify nematode infestations.

Q4: What solutions would you recommend for growers to knock out nematode pressure?

Re-evaluating best management practices such as tillage and rotation of resistant varieties can help lower nematode pressure and damage. However, each of these practices has pros and cons. Taking an integrated approach with a nematode seed treatment like Trunemco can lead to the best results.

Trunemco™ is a nematode seed treatment solution that helps soybean, cotton and corn crops thrive. This patented technology primes plant physiology, activating its defense system for superior broad-spectrum protection against nematode invasion. This biochemical and microbial solution is proven to provide higher yield profiles and application convenience — the kind that can make a true difference.

For more information about Trunemco or how to knock out nematode pressure visit the Nufarm website or talk to your local representative.