FUNDED BY THE ILLINOIS SOYBEAN ASSOCIATION CHECKOFF PROGRAM.

Nick Seiter

University of Illinois Applied Research Results Now Available

University of Illinois researchers publish an annual report of applied research conducted on insect and disease management in soybean and corn. The 2020 report is now available for free download here. Highlights from the 2020 guide related to soybean management include the following: Surveys for soybean insects and diseases, including red crown rot, soybean gall midge (which was not found in Illinois in 2020), and the annual statewide survey of insect pests. Fungicide evaluations for control of frogeye leaf spot, white mold, and purple seed stain. Evaluations of seed treatments for control of Rhizoctonia root rot and soybean cyst [...]

By |February 9, 2021|

Managing Bean Leaf Beetles in Soybeans

Bean leaf beetles are among the first insect pests we see each spring. The adults leave their overwintering sites when temperatures begin to warm up and look for beans and other legumes to feed on. In many cases, the first bean fields to emerge act as a “magnet” for bean leaf beetles, resulting in damage and conspicuous populations of the insects. While the defoliation associated with this injury is rarely more than a cosmetic issue, this species has the potential to vector bean pod mottle virus early in the season and cause direct injury to pods during seed fill. [...]

By |May 11, 2020|

Dectes Stem Borer and Lodged Soybeans

Originally published in The Bulletin. Many soybean growers have had problems with lodging at harvest this year. The primary culprit for this (as for many of our woes this fall) was the extended period of unfavorable weather that we have suffered. However, in parts of southern Illinois damage by the dectes stem borer contributed to this problem. The adult dectes stem borer (Figure 1) is a “long-horned” beetle that can often be found in soybean and on other plants. The adult female chews a hole into the surface of the plant (usually at the petiole), and lays her eggs [...]

By |December 3, 2018|

Slug Management in Illinois Field Crops

Article originally posted on the Bulletin. Slugs can be a difficult pest to manage when conditions are favorable for them, which has been the case often (particularly in southern Illinois) over the last couple of years. These mollusks can damage both corn and soybean early in the season, along with a variety of other crops; however, they have the potential to be especially problematic in soybean, where they can kill the cotyledons and ultimately reduce stands. There are a few management points to consider for slugs in field crops: Monitor slugs before planting to estimate the severity of the [...]

By |April 19, 2018|

Scouting Soybean for Insect Pests

I began work as a field crop entomologist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) in September 2017, after having worked in a similar role for the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service since 2014. My focus is on agronomic crops, including soybeans. The variability of insect pest pressure in soybeans is striking, not just from region to region but from field to field. While the likelihood of many insect problems can be predicted due to field history or cultural practices, populations vary dramatically due to weather, natural enemies and other factors. Year-to-year variability in these complex factors [...]

By |April 7, 2018|
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