Entomologist fears pest activity will be “all over the board”

by | May 30, 2019 | 5 Ag Stories, News

Mother Nature not only threw a wrench in farmer?s plan, but pest?s plans.

An entomologist does not know what to expect from insect pests.

An Integrated Crop Management (ICM) News article, published by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, indicates soybean aphid eggs have started to hatch in northern Iowa.

The nature of this pest is to move from to its winter host plant, buckthorn, to its summer host plant, soybean, in early to mid-June. But, there is a major problem: A significant amount of soybeans have yet to be planted, therefore, are not available to the pest.

Erin Hodgsen, Iowa State Extension entomologist specialist, says she does not know what to expect from the most significant insect pest, given the irregular weather pattern.

?This certainly is a challenging spring and summer for farmers, with delayed planting of corn and soybeans. With that, (we see) later than normal planting of soybeans. I don?t know what that means for soybean aphids,? Hodgson said. ?If they?re ready to move to soybeans, but there aren?t any soybeans out of the ground, they might be a little confused.?

There is speculation that soybean aphids may find another ?host? plant.

However, Hodgson has a couple other theories in mind.

?There are ideas out there about alternative plants, if soybeans aren?t out of the ground, like the clover we see blooming early in Iowa. But that isn?t well understood,? Hodgson said. ?I think you could have colonization that?s pretty erratic, which is fairly common for this type of pest. (Or) they may move on. (If) there aren?t soybeans coming out of the ground, the winged aphid (might) move somewhere else.?

Farmers can gain a better understanding of pest activity, pressure in early June, when soybeans start to emerge. Hodgson encourages farmers waiting to plant to do such in favorable conditions.

?I would encourage farmers to plant when conditions are good for quick germination,? Hodgson said. ?You want a seed that germinates quickly, gets out of the ground, has vigorous growth and can out-compete a lot of early season pests.?

For more crop protection news, visit www.crops.iastate.edu.