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.

Reports from the past week indicate very mild insect and disease pressure, though Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs seem to be severe in at least one field.

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.

Dauphin County – 28 Aug 2012

Growth stage: R5.5

• Silver spotted skipper active – Severity: 1
• Spider mites active – Severity: 1
• Green cloverworm active – Severity: 1
• Soybean aphids present – Severity: 1
• Potato leafhopper active – Severity: 1
• Brown marmorated stink bugs active – Severity: 1
• Grasshoppers active – Severity: 3
• No diseases to report

Lebanon County – 28 Aug 2012

Field 1 - Growth stage: R6

• No significant insect populations found
• Frog-eye leaf spot – Severity: 1

Field 2 - Growth stage: R7

• Grasshoppers active – Severity: 3
• No significant disease populations found

York County – 24 Aug 2012

Growth stage: R5.75

• Grasshoppers active – Severity: 1
• Downy mildew – Severity: 2
• Cercospora leaf blight – Severity: 1
• Septoria leaf spot – Severity: 1

Berks County – 22 Aug 2012

Field 1

Growth stage: R6

• Bean leaf beetle active – Severity: 1
• Potato leafhopper active – Severity: 1
• Green cloverworm active – Severity: 1
• Lady beetles, damsel bugs and spiders active

Field 2

Growth stage: R5.5

• Bean leaf beetle active – Severity: 3
• Potato leafhopper active – Severity: 1
• Green cloverworm active – Severity: 1
• Lady beetles, damsel bugs and spiders active

Crawford County – 22 Aug 2012

• No insects or diseases to report

Montgomery County – 22 Aug 2012

• Grasshoppers active – Severity: 1
• No brown marmorated stink bugs evident
• Septoria leaf spot – Severity: 1

Lancaster County – 16 Aug 2012

Field 1

• Bean leaf beetle active – Severity: 2
• Mexican bean beetle active – Severity: 1
• Green cloverworm active – Severity: 5
• Japanese beetle active – Severity: 4
• Grasshoppers active – Severity: 8
• Brown marmorated stink bugs active – Severity: 7

Field 2

• Bean leaf beetle active – Severity: 1
• Green cloverworm active – Severity: 5

For all the previous reports, see Penn State’s Field Crop Entomology website