Insecticide Tests and Strategies Against Stink Bugs

Raul Villanueva – 2023 Kentucky Soybean Promotion Board "Insecticide evaluation and farm strategies to control the Brown Marmorated and other Stink Bugs in Soybeans in KY” ABSTRACT: As the demand for food continues to grow globally, so is the need to control pests attacking major commodities. In the United States, soybean farmers use pesticides and cultural practices as the first line of defense to control pests. For insect management the use of more selective insecticides is essential for healthier and more sustainable food production. However, the occurrence of invasive species such as the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), Halyomorpha halys can threat soybean production in Kentucky> The latter had a relatively recent arrival to west KY. Unfortunately, the damage of BMSB on soybeans is still underestimated and the efficacy of insecticides is poorly understood. In Western Kentucky this situation is not different, and farmers need to know which pesticides control the BMSB at a lower cost and keeping negative side-effects off the production (i.e., insecticide resistance, emergence of secondary pests, and suppression of beneficial insects). Since 2016, the Villanueva Lab has been testing different pesticides to control stink bugs in the field, but the efficacy of insecticides against native stink bugs may not be the same on BMSB. In this project, we propose to evaluate the efficacy of insecticides to control the BMSB in soybeans in Western Kentucky. In addition, we aim to assess the current status of pesticide application among farmers to compare with both field and laboratory assays. Robust experimental design and data analysis are proposed to achieve these goals. The results will be summarized and delivered to end users using printed, digital media and in growers and professional meetings.