Worm Pressures Prompt Syngenta To Call For Diligent Soybean Scouting

• Corn earworm and armyworm pose threat to Southern soybeans
• Late-planted beans more vulnerable to foliar feeders
• Syngenta offers Besiege® insecticide to prevent yield losses

With recent entomologist reports of corn earworm and armyworm sightings in Southern states, Syngenta encourages growers to scout thoroughly.

Gus Lorenz, extension entomologist at the University of Arkansas Extension, warns growers to be on the lookout for corn earworm and other defoliating pests, such as fall armyworm and yellowstripes.

“We’re seeing them in those beans that are starting to bloom and set pods, and there are a lot of fields in that R1 to R2 stage right now,” Lorenz tells the Syngenta Pest Patrol Hotline, which gives growers access to alerts about pests in their area. “If you see some spots out in your field that look odd…it very likely could be this complex of worms.”

Small, late-planted beans are particularly vulnerable to foliar damage. Clemson University Extension advises growers to scout weekly for corn earworm from the last week of July through August. Defoliation should not exceed 15 percent after mid-bloom or 30 percent before mid-bloom.

With soybean commodity prices constantly fluctuating, it is important to be conservative with scouting efforts. Lorenz recommends dropping the scouting threshold for worms to somewhere between seven and nine worms. In July, growers in many fields were already finding as many as 12 worms per 25 sweeps.

“It’s also crucial that growers choose the right insecticide for the job,” says John Koenig, insecticide technical product lead at Syngenta. “The current commodity value of soybeans is too high to slip up with the wrong product.”

For protection against corn earworm, armyworm and other foliar-feeding pests, Syngenta offers Besiege insecticide. Besiege provides excellent knockdown and long-lasting residual of the most difficult-to-control lepidopteran pests. Its convenient premix formula contains two active ingredients with complementary modes of action for dual protection against key insects.

Check out corn earworm, armyworm and other #InsectOutlaws on the Besiege webpage. Follow along for scouting information and for updates on the Most Wanted pests of 2016. For all of the latest soybean news, visit SyngentaUS.com/soybeans or contact Syngenta at 866-796-4368. Tap into agronomic insights on KnowMoreGrowMore.com to help maximize your fields’ potential.