By John Tooker
Overview of reports from around Pennsylvania
With some educators out of town, we only have reports from five counties this week. The fields scouted were around growth stage R3. Drought conditions dominate and pest reports are very mild. The reports indicate low populations of grasshoppers, bean leaf beetle, and Japanese beetles, but we had our first sighting of soybean aphid this season. Should dry conditions persist, watch for populations of grasshoppers and spider mites, two pests that can thrive in hot, dry conditions. With the droughty conditions, it is not surprising that few diseases were noted. Scout your own fields to learn what is active in your area and hope for rain. Good luck!
Background on the project
This growing season the Pennsylvania Soybean Promotion Board is funding a Soybean Sentinel Plot Program, which is being managed by The Department of Entomology at Penn State and executed by Penn State Extension. In this effort, Penn State Extension Educators are regularly scouting about 25 'typical' soybean fields in about 20 counties across the state, reporting the populations of plant pathogens and insect pests that they find. Our goal is to inform the agricultural community about which pests are active across the state, so folks will have a sense of what to expect when they scout their own fields as part of an IPM program. It would be inappropriate to use these reports to justify insecticide applications.
In the reports below, pests that were found during scouting are listed with their severity, which is rated on a 1-10 scale with 10 being the highest. A severity score of 1 equates to 10% or less infestation or defoliation, a "2" aligns with 20% or less infestation or defoliation, and so on. Growers should be sure to check their own fields to determine your local populations, but these reports will indicate which pests are likely to be active in fields. Our reports are distributed via this weekly newsletter and are available via the Penn State Extension website (then search for "soybean sentinel plot").
Reports
16 July 2024 – Lancaster County – Jeff Graybill
Field between Manheim and Lititz
Growth stage: R3
- Bean leaf beetle – Severity: 1
- Beneficial insects present: few ground beetles and spiders
- Drought conditions: field is quite dry and plants are short. Stands are somewhat irregular due to early season slug damage. Some wilting over knobs and where soils are shallow.
- No diseases noted
12 July 2024 – Centre County – Adriana Murillo-Williams
Field near Bellefonte
Growth stage: R2
- Grasshopper – Severity: 1
- Japanese beetle – Severity: 1
- Bean leaf beetle – Severity: 1
- Blister beetle – Severity: 1
- Beneficial arthropods present: lady beetles
- No diseases noted
11 July 2024 – Lebanon County – Del Voight
Field near East Hanover
Growth stage: R1
- Grasshopper – Severity: 1
- Japanese beetle – Severity: 1
- Bean leaf beetle – Severity: 1
- Soybean aphid – Severity: 1
- Beneficial arthropods present: spiders
- Stem canker – Severity: 1
10 July 2024 – Lancaster County – Jeff Graybill
Field between Manheim and Lititz
Growth stage: R3
- No diseases or insect pests noted
9 July 2024 – Blair County – Ryan Spelman
Field near Williamsburg
Growth stage: R3
- Beneficial arthropods present: lady beetles
- No diseases or insect pests noted
9 July 2024 – Montgomery County – Andrew Frankenfield
Field near Souderton
Growth Stage: R3
- Bean leaf beetle – Severity: 1
- Beneficials present: lady beetles
- No diseases noted
- Drought conditions
Source : psu.edu