Drought Season Highlights Damage Caused by Nematodes

By CnAgri2012-07-06 13:30:09 Print

The drought throughout Indiana is intensifying nematode damage in farm fields, says a Purdue Extension nematologist. The needle nematode, soybean cyst nematode and lance nematode all are causing more problems for grain farmers in a year when crops already are stressed by extreme heat and lack of rain.

Jamal Faghihi explained that nematodes, microscopic roundworms, can be found in fields every year, but the damage is worse during a drought season.

"The severity of symptoms shows because of the stress in plants," he said.

Faghihi stressed that nematodes and their damage will be found in patches in the fields.

"They're not going to be uniformly distributed all over the field," he said.

Farmers should know if they are having nematode problems at this point in the summer.

The needle nematode exclusively feeds on corn and grasses and is found in sandy soils. It often poses a problem in the spring when the weather is cool and wet.

Although the needle nematode is sensitive to heat, Faghihi speculates that this year the early warm weather created an opportunity for the worm to do its damage early.

He advised farmers to inspect the plant roots early in the season for abnormalities, which include poor development, club-shaped roots and damage resembling herbicide injury.

The lance nematode is found in corn and soybean fields. Similar to the needle nematode, the lance nematode causes damage to plants that results in yellow, stunted growth with abnormal roots.