Soybean aphid spray day complete

Yesterday my lab finished another successful soybean aphid insecticide spray day. We have evaluated insecticide efficacy to soybean aphid since 2005. I didn't get involved with the program until I started at ISU in 2009, but it's a growing research trial and the largest in the nation. I evaluate a range of products, different chemistries, new formulations, etc. I also compare seed treatments and host plant resistance to foliar insecticides. My program also monitors for genetic resistance to our management tools. Eventually, I expect soybean aphid will develop resistance to pyrethroids and organophosphates, so I want to monitor their response to exposure over time.

Wearing Tyvek for hours is not my favorite thing to do!

This year, we have 35 treatments at the Northeast Research Farm near Nashua and 15 treatments at the Northwest Research Farm near Sutherland. We sprayed at Nashua yesterday and will spray at Sutherland tomorrow. Aphid numbers have been steadily climbing, with populations doubling every 5-7 days. Many commercial fields have reached the economic threshold, and foliar insecticides are going on all over northern Iowa. Typically late-planted fields have higher soybean aphid numbers - so those fields should be your scouting priority.

The spray crew is ready to go with proper PPE! Thanks Greg, Tyler, Eric, Cody K., Cody S. and Mike!

If you are interested in how insecticides perform, I summarize all the results in an annual publication called the Yellow Book. You can access a free copies by year on my website. The 2013 version will be ready for distribution by November.