Farms.com Home   News

Stink Bugs Could Still Be A Problem In Soybeans

Doug Johnson, Extension Entomologist

Because of delayed planting and a cool summer, Kentucky soybean producers are likely to have considerable acreage of late maturing soybeans. This probably causes most folks to be concerned with frost. However,this extended maturity may also set up fields for additional damage by stink bugs. Producers and consultants should remain watchful as long as pods are still filling.

Green stink bug

Brown stink bug

By far, the most common stink bug found in Kentucky is the green stink bug. Our research indicates that green stink bugs make up greater than 80% of the population. Nonetheless, there are several species of brown stinkbugs in KY grown beans as well. So expect to see both types.

Stink bugs can cause decreases in both yield and seed quality. These pesky bugs feed directly on the bean using their piercing-sucking mouth parts. They puncture the pod wall and stab the developing bean, removing nutrients and sometimes allowing entrance of pathogens into the pod / bean. Usually, there is no clear evidence of this damage until the pods are mature. The only clear evidence one has of pests is observing them in the field, damage symptoms are too late.

 Stink bugs will hang around until frost, feeding on whatever is available to them. In soybeans we consider the pods at risk up to R6 stage. So if you have beans less mature than this you should definitely be looking for these critters. Once soybeans are in the R6 stage stink bug damage is much more difficult to predict.

Sampling for the pest can be done in two ways. In wide row beans a shake cloth (aka = drop cloth) may be used. This is a three- foot long section of white cloth wide enough to reach from row to row. Shake the beans on both sides over the cloth and count the stink bugs that fall to the cloth. Remember, adults can fly so you need to count quickly. Juveniles do not yet have wings so they are a bit slower to escape.

In narrow row beans you will need to use a sweep net. The 15” diameter sweep net is the standard tool for most thresholds. Take 25 sweeps per location and count the stink bugs captured. In both types of sampling, each field should be sampled at multiple locations. The more locations you sample,the more accurate and precise your estimates will be. Average the number of stink bugs captured over all locations.

Thresholds that warrant control are: shake cloth – an average of one stink bug per row foot, or if sampled with a sweep net, treat if you collect an average of 9 stinkbugs per 25 sweeps at R4-R6.

Click here to see more...

Trending Video

Weekly Forecast - Eric Hunt

Video: Weekly Forecast - Eric Hunt

We have been experiencing some spring like weather here in the eastern part of the state this week. How has the weather been elsewhere and what can we expect as we look to the week ahead?