rootworm

American  

[root-wurm, root-] / ˈrutˌwɜrm, ˈrʊt- /

noun

1. the larva of any of several insects, as the cucumber beetle, that feeds on the roots of plants.

2. any of several nematodes, especially of the genus Heterodera, that puncture and feed in the roots of plants.

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Etymology

Origin of rootworm

First recorded in 1795–1805; root ¹ + worm

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rootworm

The corn rootworm, the Colorado potato beetle and soybean aphids all thrive best on the crops that give them their names.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 2, 2016

For a decade they have been combating the rootworm by planting so-called BT crops, which are genetically engineered to produce a toxin that kills the insects when they eat the crop.

From New York Times ● Jan. 28, 2014

This gene, called snf7, is essential for moving proteins around in the rootworm.

From New York Times ● Jan. 28, 2014

Whereas Bt corn tailored to destroy European corn borer kills 99.9 percent or more of pests, Bt corn engineered to eradicate rootworm is less reliably lethal, killing 85 to 98 percent of the larvae.

From Scientific American ● Sep. 3, 2013

A single visit from a representative of the Department of Agriculture showed him the cause of the trouble, the corn rootworm, and how it could be eradicated by a simple rotation of crops.

From Community Civics and Rural Life by Dunn, Arthur William