The use of persistent biocontrol nematodes native to New York first developed for the management of alfalfa snout beetle, with long-term funding from the farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program, and now applied to help manage corn rootworm, wireworm in wheat, grape rootworm, and black vine weevil in hops as well as some berry pests, will be featured in a winter shop meeting organized by CCE Cayuga County. The meeting will be held Thursday, January 25, 2024, from 12:30-3:00 p.m. at Kyle Farms & Preferred Grain Systems, 12394 Bradt Road, Cato, NY (Cayuga County). Bring a camp chair; no registration required.
“Are Persistent Biocontrol Nematodes an economic benefit for your farm?” will be presented by Field Crops Specialist Mike Hunter of the CCE North Country Regional Ag Team, and Tony Testa of Persistent BioControl. Testa developed the research behind the use of the persistent biocontrol nematodes.
Not only are the biocontrol nematodes completely compatible with all the Bt-RW traits, killing the Bt toxin survivors, but in NY, the biocontrol nematodes appear to be capable of being used alone if the farmer chooses to grow non-Bt-RW traited corn. The shop meeting program will cover how the biocontrol nematodes work, how to apply them, the timing to do so, the ease and affordability of application, a research update, and find to obtain biocontrol nematodes adapted for use in New York. They will persist across growing seasons.
For more information on this winter shop meeting, contact Ron Kuck, 315-704-8810, rak76@cornell.edu. For the history of persistent biocontrol nematode research in northern New York, click here.