For a few years, soybean aphids weren’t too much of a problem in Iowa. However, last year was a wake-up call for farmers in Northern Iowa especially. Kurt Maertens, BASF technical services representative for Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois, said that soybean aphids can cause damage in a few different ways.
Not only did the aphids come back, but they are now suspected to be resistant to pyrethroid-class insecticides, which are the most commonly used insecticides.
As it is with many crop pests, scouting is a major part of the management strategy. Maertens said there are a few things to consider when scouting for soybean aphids.
Maertens said there’s a specific population threshold that needs to be met before farmers make plans to treat their fields with an insecticide.
If that threshold is met, Maertens said he recommends using Sefina insecticide, which offers a new and unique mode of action to eliminate soybean aphids while protecting beneficial insects.
For more information on Sefina insecticide, contact your local BASF retailer or visit agriculture.basf.us.
