Philadelphia – July 29, 2013 –Plants United for Greater HealthSM, an FMC Agricultural Solutions Initiative, issues a pest alert for soybean growers throughout the Midwest and into the East. Growers are encouraged to work with their FMC Star Retailer to determine their risk from growing populations of bean leaf beetles, soybean aphids, Japanese beetles and stink bugs.
“There are no multi-pest thresholds, but it doesn’t take them long to take half a bushel per acre out of your soybeans,” said Robert Hooten, FMC Agricultural Solutions North America Midwest technical support manager. “If you are already making a fungicide or herbicide pass, a half-bushel loss is all it takes to pay for a treatment with Hero® insecticide.”
Soybean aphids, already at threshold levels in the Great Lakes region of the Northern Corn Belt, are expected to take advantage of any decent weather to multiply and spread. Bean leaf and Japanese beetles are scattered, but remain major pests in both the Midwest and Eastern regions. Stink bugs are the number one overall pest in soybeans. Together, the damage from two or more species compound quickly to reduce yields.
Japanese beetles and stink bugs injure plants directly, but do their greatest damage at different periods of the season. Japanese beetles chew up leaves, defoliating growing plants, while stink bugs feed on maturing beans and bean pods. Soybean aphids and bean leaf beetles cause direct feeding damage but also interfere with the growing process of soybeans. Aphid feeding disrupts photosynthesis, while bean leaf beetles can transmit pod mottle virus, capable of reducing yield by up to 40 percent.
Broad spectrum pest pressure requires a broad spectrum response. Hero insecticide provides dual modes of action for maximum control of bean leaf beetles, soybean aphids, Japanese beetles, aphids and 41 other labeled insect species. When tank-mixed with a postemergence herbicide or fungicide pass, Hero can be applied long before pests reach their individual treatment threshold. Hero insecticide is also labeled in corn and many other crops.
“Beans aren’t cheap anymore; if your scouting turns up multiple pests, their combined damage will be worth stopping,” said Hooten. “If stink bugs are there with aphids or beetles, something could be chewing your beans all season. Investing in a treatment when multiple pests start to attack will protect yield and manage your population for next year.”