Syngenta has launched Nema Digital, the world's first commercial digital tool, to monitor harmful nematodes through satellite imagery

In September 2022, Syngenta launched Nema Digital, an innovative digital solution that uses high-resolution satellite imagery and proprietary algorithms to identify areas of severe nematode infection for diagnosis and control.

The new digital tool uses a unique proprietary algorithm to analyze field images obtained by satellites, identify areas of the crop where parasitic nematodes are highly infested, and estimate the potential damage caused by these tiny parasites. Using the tool, farmers can quickly adjust field management practices, avoid yield losses, and optimize inputs to improve farm sustainability.

Plant parasitic nematodes are tiny soil-based parasites that feed on plant roots, providing conditions for fungal infections that seriously threaten plant health, crop quality and yield. These harmful nematodes cause up to $150 billion in crop damage worldwide each year.

As a pioneer in agricultural innovation, Syngenta is once again at the forefront of change with the launch of Nema Digital, the world's first commercial digital tool for diagnosing plant-parasitic nematode damage and stress in soybean crops. This tool, using a combination of Sentinel and Planet imagery, is an evolution of Gamaya's approach that guarantees continuous monitoring of field conditions during critical periods of the growing season.

In 2022, Syngenta will first roll out the service to Brazilian soybean farmers, targeting 130,000 hectares of soybean farms that are heavily affected by nematodes, which cost Brazil more than $5.4 billion per year in soybean production losses and as much as 30% in some areas.

The project uses a combination of satellite imagery from Sentinel 2 and Planet to generate detailed maps to highlight nematode damage. These initial maps guide the collection of samples from potential nematode hot spots, and as the season progresses, another map is generated using intra-season satellite images of the Planet, allowing a full assessment of nematode impacts from start to finish. The effectiveness of the tool has led to its integration into CROPWISE, Syngenta's digital technology platform. Cropwise, Syngenta's global platform for crop optimization and digital agriculture, currently has more than 40,000 users monitoring more than 230 million acres of land 

The tool, which is officially available to growers in Brazil, provides access to Nema gitial through Cropwise Protector when growing soybeans, allowing users to sample soil, prioritize fields and identify areas affected by nematodes.