Syngenta unveils new seed treatment against soybean cyst nematode

Syngenta Canada Ltd. introduced a new biological seed treatment on Thursday to help growers manage soybean cyst nematode (SCN), a small parasitic roundworm that attacks the roots of soybeans.

The new product, Clariva pn, is expected to take SCN management to the next level by reducing roundworm feeding and reproduction.

Nathan Klages, Syngenta Canada's seedcare and inoculants product lead, said Clariva pn is a targeted, direct and proven solution that will help growers increase yields under SCN pressure.

Clariva pn contains the Pasteuria nishizawae bacteria as its active ingredient. When Clariva pn-treated seed is planted, the P. nishizawae spores are released into the soil and establish a protective zone around the young soybean plant’s roots.

The P. nishizawae spores infect and eventually kill SCN that come into contact with plant roots by curbing their ability to feed and reproduce. As the remnants of the nematodes decompose, the spores are released back into the soil to provide season-long protection.

Klages said Clariva pn supports crop-rotation practices and complements the use of SCN-resistant or partially resistant soybean varieties.

“Until now, the most common method of managing SCN has been to select soybean varieties with resistance to the pest,” Klages said. “However, a shift in the virulence of SCN means growers require additional management tools -- and Clariva pn fills that need.”