Plant-parasitic nematodes, known as the "invisible killers" of agriculture due to their concealment in soil, cause approximately 150 billion US dollars in global crop losses annually. These tiny organisms feed on crop roots, blocking the absorption of water and nutrients while predisposing plants to fungal infections, resulting in devastating damage. As a global agricultural leader, Brazil's staple crops such as soybeans, corn, and sugarcane are severely affected. Root-knot nematodes, root-lesion nematodes, and cyst nematodes are particularly rampant in soybean-producing regions, damaging root systems, causing uneven plant growth, and leaving large gaps in fields, which significantly reduces yields. Corn plants attacked by nematodes exhibit stunted root development, dwarfism, and yellowing, while sugarcane suffers from yellowing and withered leaves, shortened internodes, wilting during drought, and extensively necrotic root systems. Worse still, Brazil's year-round high-temperature climate combined with the soybean-corn-cotton rotation system provides an ideal year-round breeding ground for nematodes. The recent emergence of new nematode species such as Aphelenchoides besseyi has further complicated control efforts. Data from Staphyt shows that nematodes cause 5.5 to 12 billion US dollars in annual losses in Brazil, accounting for 7% of the country's total agricultural output value. Soybean losses alone reach 4 to 5 billion US dollars, and over 95% of more than 20,000 field samples nationwide tested positive for nematodes, underscoring their widespread distribution and severe impact.

The underground habitat of nematodes makes them difficult to detect. Farmers typically focus on above-ground crop conditions and only notice severe root damage when plants show obvious yellowing or stunting. Compounded by limited awareness of nematodes, many farmers mistakenly attribute the damage to water or nutrient deficiencies. Some farmers lack basic knowledge of nematodes entirely, allowing the pests to spread unchecked in fields and exacerbate losses. This highlights the urgent need to enhance farmer education and diagnostic capabilities. Meanwhile, Brazil's dominant soybean-corn-cotton rotation system, while economically profitable, provides continuous hosts for nematodes and accelerates their reproduction and spread. Although experts recommend adjusting cropping structures to control nematodes, farmers hesitate due to concerns about short-term economic losses and uncertainties of new planting patterns, creating a key barrier to effective control. Adding to the challenge, traditional highly toxic chemical nematicides are being phased out due to stricter environmental regulations and growing concerns about residues, while nematode resistance has reduced their effectiveness. New chemical agents face lengthy approval processes, limited efficacy, and high application thresholds, leaving farmers in a predicament of insufficient control options and driving the shift toward safer, more sustainable biological nematicides.

As a promising solution, Brazil's biological agriculture sector is developing rapidly, with biological agents becoming a research priority—over 50% of agricultural R&D investment is concentrated in this area. The market size has reached 20 billion US dollars, accounting for 4%-5% of the pesticide market, with an annual growth rate of 15%-20%, far exceeding the 4% growth rate of traditional chemical pesticides. Driven by supportive policies, the number of registered biological agents has surged; in 2024 alone, 12 new biological nematicides were approved. The number of registered microbial strains has increased from just a few 15 years ago to 99, with Bacillus and Trichoderma as the dominant components. Bacterial and fungal agents are used in roughly equal proportions, and multi-strain products are becoming increasingly popular. At the industrial level, local enterprises such as Ballagro have collaborated with international agrochemical giants to boost R&D, while institutions like Staphyt have accelerated product registration and technological innovation, enhancing the competitiveness of Brazil's biological agent industry. The market now offers a variety of effective biological nematicides: Ballagro's Nemat Stellus, containing dual strains of Pochonia chlamydosporia and Paecilomyces lilacinus, delivers excellent control against multiple nematode species and supports various application methods including seed treatment and furrow application via Statera technology; BRQ Brasilquímica's Bacill Mix, with four Bacillus strains, nematocidal and growth-promoting effects and is suitable for soybeans, sugarcane, and other crops with flexible application; Alltech's Reli3ver, featuring a unique Bacillus subtilis strain optimized through R3V technology for enhanced stability, excels in nematode prevention for soybeans, tomatoes, and other crops. These products cover diverse application scenarios and significantly enrich control options.

To verify the effectiveness of biological control, Staphyt has conducted large-scale field trials through its national network of test stations, focusing on evaluating the control efficacy and yield-increasing effects of different application methods to facilitate technology optimization and adoption. The two mainstream application methods in Brazil are seed treatment and furrow application. Seed treatment, which requires no additional water and is compatible with mechanized planting, is favored by large-scale growers managing 10,000-20,000 hectares, but its nematicide loading capacity is limited by seed coating volume. Furrow application offers greater flexibility, enabling precise delivery to root zones and simultaneous control of multiple pests. Some farmers combine seed treatment with furrow application to improve agent coverage and persistence. Trial data shows that fields treated with biological nematicides achieve an average yield increase of 6%-10%, delivering significant economic benefits: soybean fields show increased plant height and plumper pods, while corn fields develop more robust root systems with enhanced lodging resistance. These tangible results have greatly improved farmers' acceptance of biological control.

As Brazil's agricultural staples, soybeans and corn face growing nematode threats, with cross-infection risks even when switching to other cash crops. Dr. Luiz Antonio Alves Jose, head of Staphyt Brazil, emphasizes that complete eradication of nematodes is unrealistic, and "management first" is the scientific approach. Given the increasing diversity of nematode species and rising resistance, single chemical control has become ineffective. He advocates for an Integrated Nematode Management (INM) strategy that combines crop rotation, resistant varieties, and biological control agents to build a resilient pest management system. While biological control is not a panacea, its adoption in Brazil is accelerating and becoming mainstream. Supported by precise application technologies such as seed treatment and furrow application, biological nematicides not only boost crop yields but also demonstrate significant environmental benefits, offering a promising path to sustainable agriculture.

Long-term nematode management relies on two pillars: technological innovation and farmer education. Technologically, increased R&D investment is needed to develop localized biological agents adapted to different soils and climates, and promote precision application technologies such as drone spraying to improve control efficiency. For farmer education, training programs and on-site demonstrations should be conducted to popularize knowledge on nematode identification, biological agent application, and rotation techniques, enhancing farmers' practical skills. Through this dual drive, Brazil is poised to achieve the dual goals of effective nematode control and green agricultural transformation, safeguarding food security and farmers' incomes while providing a replicable, sustainable model for global agricultural nematode management.