Biological breakthrough redefines nematode management

The silent advance of bionematicides has redefined nematode management in the country and consolidated a structural change in the control of these parasites. According to Tiago Zucchi, founder of Mavez Assessoria, the scenario of losses exceeding 6.5 billion dollars per year in Brazilian agriculture, with more than 3 billion dollars just in soybeans, has opened space for biological solutions that are no longer considered a trend. The limitation of chemical options has favored the adoption of microbial technologies that today place Brazil as an international reference. The country currently operates with 47 registered bionematicides, developed from 11 microorganisms. Biologicals represent 82% of the nematicide market and reach 90% of the soybean area, sustained by mechanisms that include parasitism, antibiosis, physicochemical barriers, induction of resistance, and changes in root exudates. These modes of action enhance performance in the soil and fill gaps left by the 12 available ...