Nematodes are often overlooked as pests in corn due to their small size and non-distinctive damage symptoms, but they are capable of causing significant yield loss by damaging corn roots. Although the capability of nematodes to damage corn has long been known, recent trends in farming practices may be increasing nematode numbers as well as their economic importance as corn pests. Additionally, our ability to sample and diagnose nematode damage has improved, so that symptoms previously attributed to some other stress factor are now correctly being traced to nematodes. This Crop Insights discusses corn nematode biology, symptoms, species, sampling, and control methods.
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