Across the corn belt depending on time of year | Biocontrol nematodes are officially known as Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) and they are naturally occurring in US and Canadian soils. If we were to sample your neighborhood in MN (or Iowa or Nebraska), about 20% of the fields contain one or more species of EPNs. I use the term Biocontrol Nematodes to easily separate for farmers the difference between EPN and the plant parasitic nematodes which attack our crops. EPNs or Biocontrol nematodes only attack soil insects which are pests. Many beneficial insects in the soil are resistant to nematode attack.
Will they get out of control? Highly unlikely since they are already residents of our agricultural soils.
Why don't the native EPNs help us with rootworm? The ones present in the soil naturally are usually the wrong species and do not occupy the same soil profile as rootworm. Therefore many rootworm escape attack. |
rootworm damage on CRW corn paid for by seed companies
