Corn rootworm's secret weapon: How a genetic 'pause' helps a billion-dollar pest survive winter

Researchers identify mechanisms that regulate an underlying process corn rootworms use called diapause.

Diapause is a phenomenon similar to hibernation, and in this species, it involves eggs that remain dormant in the soil for approximately nine months .

Researchers pinpointing the genetic mechanisms that help rootworm eggs "pause" underground during the winter .