Sentinel Plot Program in Soybeans

The Pennsylvania Soybean Board is funding a Sentinel Plot Program, which is being managed by Penn State Extension and The Dept. of Entomology. In this effort, Penn State Extension Educators are regularly scouting fifteen ‘typical’ soybean fields across the state, reporting significant populations of plant pathogens and insect pests. For all the reports thus far, see Penn State’s Field Crop Entomology website (http://ento.psu.edu/extension/field-crops-new). 

Reports from the past week indicate very mild insect and disease pressure. Pests that were found during scouting are listed with their severity, which is rated on a 1-10 scale with 10 being the highest. Make sure you check your fields to determine your local populations, but these reports will give you a sense of what pests are active in fields.

York County – 10 Aug 2012

Growth stage: R5

• No insects reported
• Downy mildew – Severity: 2

Lebanon County – 8 Aug 2012

Field 1
Growth stage: R5

• Bean leaf beetle active – Severity: 1
• Silver-spotted skipper caterpillars – Severity: 5
• Potato leafhopper active – Severity: 4
• Two-spotted spider mites – Severity: 2
• Grasshoppers active – Severity: 4
• Lady beetles and damsel bugs active
• No diseases found

Field 2
Growth stage: R4

• Potato leafhopper active – Severity: 1
• Two-spotted spider mites – Severity: 2
• Phytophthora root & stem rot – Severity: 3

Lancaster County – 7 Aug 2012

Growth stage: R5
Field 1:

• Bean leaf beetle present – Severity: 1
• Mexican bean beetle present – Severity: 1
• Green cloverworm active – Severity: 4
• Japanese beetles active – Severity: 5
• Brown marmorated stink bugs – Severity: 6
• Grasshoppers active – Severity: 6
• No diseases reported

Field 2 & 3
•    No insects or diseases reported

Franklin County – 9 Aug 2012

Growth stage: R5
•    Bean leaf beetle present – Severity: 1
•    Downy mildew – Severity: 1
•    Septoria leaf spot – Severity: 1
•    Soybean Vein Necrosis Virus- Severity: 1
•    Frogeye leaf spot – Severity: 1