103316NemaCodeClosedFeasibility StudiesInnovate UKParasitic species of free living nematodes in soils cause massive crop damage to UK farmers. Nematode infestation is extremely difficult to detect, as soil screening methods require highly trained experts to identify individual species, from live nematodes extracted from soil samples. This is time consuming, inaccurate, and expensive. Farmers therefore use preventative application of pesticides to reduce the risk of complete crop failure, which contributes to pesticides overuse, and associated environmental and agrochemical resistance risks. NemaCode is a new method for screening soils, based on DNA sequencing (metabarcoding) the complete biological component of the soil. It will enable farmers to screen their land for a whole suite of high-risk soil organisms prior to planting, enabling an earlier decision point, more specific risk assessment, and lower cost treatment strategies. This will greatly reduce the volume of pesticides required to treat the land leading to significant cost savings, reduce risk of crop failure, and allow responsible pesticide stewardship.