Although some parts of Illinois have started to get beans in the ground, most of us are still waiting for soils to dry out and warm up. Something that should be on our radars in the week or two before planting are soilborne insect pests that may affect our soybeans. Wireworms and white grubs are the two pests of importance in Illinois, and on occasion these insect larvae can cause significant reductions in stands and early season plant vigor.... Read More →
ILSOYADVISOR POST
PODCAST: Stinkbugs, The Pest to Watch Out For This Year
August 22, 2017
There may be a new enemy for Illinois soybean farmers—and a stinky situation at that.
Join CCA Soy Envoy Stephanie Porter in this latest podcast to learn about the pest to watch for this August—the stink bug.
There are several different species of stink bugs, but the enemy for Illinois soybean farmers is the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug. Known as an agricultural pest, it commonly feeds on fruits and vegetables. However, it is quite the hitchhiker and will easily spread to other crops, such as soybeans.
In soybeans, the stink bug will use its piercing, sucking mouthparts to poke through the pod and damage the beans, causing them to shrivel or flatten. This yield-robbing pest can be controlled with most insecticides, but growers need to watch for it and actively scout fields for its appearance.
“Growers need to be looking now, in mid August,” says Porter. “We want to protect the pods against these critters.”
Porter recommends that if there are four or more stink bugs in one net sweep, the grower should contact an agronomist and ask for control recommendations.
To hear all of Porter’s advice and learn about the soybean stink bug effect, tune in to this month’s podcast.
Illinois Soybean Association
The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) checkoff and membership programs represent more than 43,000 soybean farmers in Illinois. The checkoff funds market development and utilization efforts while the membership program supports the government relations interests of Illinois soybean farmers at the local, state, and national level through the Illinois Soybean Growers (ISG). ISA upholds the interests of Illinois soybean producers through promotion, advocacy, and education with the vision of becoming a market leader in sustainable soybean production and profitability. For more information, visit the website www.ilsoy.org and www.ilsoygrowers.com.
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