“Soybean Aphid Suction Traps – What are they? What are they telling us?” Get the answers from an Extension Response Fact Sheet and UW-Extension Entomology Powerpoint Presentation.
Extension Responds - Soybean AphidThis year's soybean crop could be under attack by an army of tiny, thirsty insects, soybean aphids. Aphid experts say they have good reason to expect a lot of aphids to appear in Wisconsin fields this year. Extension Responds with information about identifying, scouting, and controlling aphids. If your scouting shows you should treat your soybean fields with an insecticide, here are recommendations.
It may seem convenient to mix pesticides to make a single spray application to control soybean aphids and rust, but Extension soybean experts do not recommend doing it (PDF).
Soybean aphids damage plants and cause direct yield loss by sucking sap. They also can spread viral diseases among soybean plants. Insects, including the soybean aphid, can transmit plant viruses.
The decision about whether or not to spray to control aphids (PDF) depends on the number of insects and the maturity stage of the plant. That means farmers should “scout” soybean fields regularly.
“A Visual Guide for Soybean Aphid Scouting” is a handy reference to help farmers determine how serious an aphid infestation is. The best option for long-term control of the soybean aphid is the reestablishment of their natural enemies. One promising candidate is a tiny wasp. |