Management Tactics and Tools for Insect Pests in the North Central Region

The project focuses on managing new and expanding insect pests in soybean fields across the North Central region. Each objective targets a specific pest and includes research, risk assessment, and outreach to help farmers make informed decisions for reduced crop loss and improved pest management and yield.

• Soybean gall midge: Since 2019, soybean gall midge has become a serious pest in seven states, causing up to more than 30% yield loss. The team will work to improve pest detection with pheromones, identify resistant soybean varieties, and test insecticide strategies based on farmer experience.
• Soybean tentiform leafminer: The team will survey farmers in the region to learn more about where this pest is found, how extensive their presence is, and what actions can be taken to prevent damage.
• Soybean aphid: This pest is still a concern, especially as they become resistant to insecticides. Researchers will test new soybean varieties with built-in resistance and learn if combining these varieties with insecticide treatments decreases their pressure.
• Dectes stem borer: Researchers will measure how much yield is lost from this pest and test specific insecticides.
• Suction trap network: The network continues to track pests such as soybean thrips that spread soybean vein necrosis Virus (SVNV), which lowers seed quality. The team will create tools to help predict SVNV outbreaks, so farmers can act early to protect their crops.
• Lastly, the team will review previous research achievements to help them move forward. They will also develop educational materials to share with farmers at field days and other outreach events.

The objectives within this research project will provide farmers practical, science-backed tools and information to improve insect pest management in soybean fields. By improving pest detection, testing new control methods, and communicating results, farmers can make better management decisions for applicable inputs and yield protection.