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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Southern Insect Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #183845

Title: INFLUENCES OF SOYBEAN PLANTING DATE AND MATURITY GROUP ON STINK BUG (HETEROPTERA: PENTATOMIDAE) POPULATIONS.

Author
item Gore, Jeffrey
item Abel, Craig
item Adamczyk, John
item Snodgrass, Gordon

Submitted to: Environmental Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/3/2006
Publication Date: 4/1/2006
Citation: Gore, J., Abel, C.A., Adamczyk Jr, J.J., Snodgrass, G.L. 2006. Influences of soybean planting date and maturity group on stink bug (heteroptera: pentatomidae) populations.. Environmental Entomology. 35:531-536

Interpretive Summary: Field experiments were conducted in Stoneville, MS to determine the impact of soybean planting date and maturity group on stink bug populations. Maturity group IV and V soybeans were planted at three planting dates that represent the ranges of normal planting dates for soybeans in the mid-South. Plots were sampled weekly with a sweep net and the numbers of stink bugs were counted. In general, soybeans planted during April had the fewest stink bugs; while, soybeans planted in June had the highest numbers of stink bugs. Soybeans planted in May had stink bug infestation levels that were intermediate to those observed on soybeans planted in April and June. In addition , early maturing group IV varieties had fewer stink bugs than later maturing group V varieties. Results from this experiment demostrate that early matruing soybean varieties planted early will escape intense stink bug pressure.

Technical Abstract: Field experiments were conducted in Stoneville, MS to determine the impact of soybean planting date and maturity group on stink bug (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) populations. Maturity group IV and V soybeans were planted on three planting dates in 2003 and 2004. Planting dates were late March-early April, late April-early May, and late May-early June. Plots were sampled weekly with a standard 38.1-cm diameter sweep net. Planting date and maturity group each had a significant effect on stink bug populations. In general, the earliest planting date had the lowest densities of stink bugs; while, the latest planting date had the highest densities of stink bugs. Over the two year period, cumulative numbers of stink bugs ranged from 17.9- 6.25 per 25 sweeps for the first planting to 190.9-20.03 per 25 sweeeps for the third planting date when averaged across maturity groups. Aditionally, stink bug populations were generally lower on maturity group IV soybeans than on maturity group V soybeans. Cumulative numbers of stink bugs on maturity group IV averaged 52.4-26.23 and 25.2-6.93 in 2003 and 2004, respectively. On maturity group V soybeans, cumulative numbers of stink bugs averaged 96.9-28.05 and 85.7-40.84 in 2003 and 2004, respectively. These data provide valuable information about the population dynamics of stink bugs and indicate that early plantings of maturity group IV soybeans in the mid-South will escape heavy stink bug densities.