The proposed studies will lead to improved crop protection and management practices that suppress losses caused by Japanese beetles, Dectes stem borer, stink bugs, and soybean podworm. The project continues to build off the work previously funded by KSC. We will continue to sample counties across of northeast Kansas for the presence of soybean gall midge (SGM). In 2023, SGM was first observed in two counties (Marshall and Nemeha) and has expanded since. While infestation levels still remain low, it is vital that we continue to sample and educate of various stakeholders (farmers, agents, industry, etc.) so that we can have an effective communication strategy in place to respond to infestations in a timely manner. We are also trying to understand how landscape features of the environment and land management impact the densities of occasional pests within KS landscapes. Using a combination of field data from traps, previously data collected in soybean, publicly available data, and data from neighboring states, we will create a predictive model for pest densities to be used as a management tool by soybean farmers and crop consultants for determining pest treatment. Finally, we continue to work on ways to improve the new alert and notification modules within myFields.info which allows us to send alerts to specific counties and users can sign up for a free account to receive notifications via email.

Objective 1. Document the distribution of established and/or new pests in Kansas and adapt existing monitoring technologies to manage insect pests in soybean.
Objective 2. Create landscape model to predict pest densities and damage to soybean plants using existing and new pest distribution data.
Objective 3: Expand web pages and other educational materials associated with soybean insects.

(Obj. 1) We will update our database on pest distribution and notify farmer about the potential expansion of new pests such as SGM. (Obj. 2) We will create a predictive model for pest densities to be used as a management tool by soybean farmers. (Obj. 3) We will continue to develop text based discussions, maps, tables, and graphs posted to the KSRE Soybean Insect Management Guide and update the insect pest management information section for the Kansas Soybean Management publication.

Infestations of new and established pests in soybean is an on-going concern for growers in Kansas. For example, stem borer larval infestations of 50 to 80 % cause severe lodging problems in north-central and southwestern Kansas. Reports of damage severity continue to increase and expand across KS counties. For example, damage severity ratings for soybean stem borer increased in one-third of Kansas counties from 1985 to 2015. Soybean podworms also continue to threaten soybean yields through direct consumption of seeds where compensatory pathways are ineffective late in the season. Expansion may be due to reduced availability of alternate host plants such as wild sunflower, increased larvae winter survival, increased soybean acreage, increased adoption of non-tillage practices, or continuous planting of soybean. Finally, with the continued expansion of the soybean gall midge (SGM) across the Midwest and Great Plains and the discovery of SGM in three KS counties (Nemaha, Marshall, and Washington), we need a landscape approach to understanding those causes is necessary for control and to minimize further spread. Results from co-PD McCornack’s group demonstrate that adult colonization patterns vary between fields and through time and need to be better predicted, including when and where lodging is most likely to occur. The creation of predictive models based on location, surrounding landscape, management practices, grower concerns, and climate are needed to generate tools for effective pest management. Although commercial insecticides can be used to treat these insect pests, other practices such as early detection and cultural control can reduce costs and minimize insecticide resistance.