Across the corn belt depending on time of year | I would like to turn this thread into a question-answer thread about the use of persistent biocontrol nematodes against rootworm and other soil pests like wireworm
I am the scientist who during my 36 year at Cornell developed this concept, and made the technology available to US Agriculture. I retired from Cornell in 2022.
There are farmers on this forum who watched this technology develop in upstate NY over the 30+ years, there are farmers on this forum who have inoculated their entire corn acreage several years ago, there are farmers who inoculated a field or two and either have seen the results or are waiting to see the results and then there are the farmers/agribusiness professionals who are convinced this is another "snake oil". However, there are reams of data to this "snake oil".
I hope everybody feels free to voice their opinions and questions and I will do my best to answer them all.
A few bullet points to start the discussion
Biocontrol nematodes or entomopathogenic nematodes do not feed on plants, not to be confused with plant parasitic nematodes which feed on plant roots. Biocontrol nematodes only attack insects in the soil.
To date more than 100,000 acres of agricultural fields have been inoculated with biocontrol nematodes across the corn growing regions of the US. About 40,000 acres directly on continuous corn directed against rootworm. 2025 will see another 20,000 acres inoculated.
A single application for multi-year pest suppression. Sounds far fetched but supported by multiple studies across multiple states.
Biocontrol nematodes are to be deployed with a rootworm trait 1) extend the life of the failing trait and 2) reduce the rootworm's ability to develop resistance to biocontrol nematodes.
Persistent Biocontrol is now producing these persistent biocontrol nematodes in Webster City, IA.
For the skeptical farmer, Persistent Biocontrol has an introductory offer. Identify your worse field and we will sell you biocontrol nematodes at a 50% discount (we lose money) to treat half of the field (max 65 ac). History shows we have a 95% probability of you returning to purchase more nematodes after you see the results on your worst field.
Yield recovery: the typical range is 6-15 bu/ac in the first year. In 2024, a couple of Iowa growers reported >19 bu/ac and a third party trial reported the nematode inoculate plot in 2023 out yielded the untreated check by 30 bu/ac (the drought year).
This is the yield map from a field in central Iowa where 1/2 the field was inoculated with biocontrol nematodes.
Questions and comments please. Let's begin the discussion.
Elson
Edited by Nematotode-guy 4/11/2025 22:17
 (Eldora Field Slide 3.jpeg (full).jpg)
Attachments
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 Eldora Field Slide 3.pdf (214KB - 87 downloads)
Eldora Field Slide 3.jpeg (full).jpg (114KB - 5 downloads)
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Biocontrol nematodes - Rootworm - Persistent Biocontrol
