For Objective 1, project deliverables including collecting pest density data on the distribution of insect pests in soybean across central and eastern KS. We will continue to samples fields from past years to assess long-term population trends but we will expand our surveillance to include new fields and areas, particularly for soybean gall midge. These data will be used to inform spatial distribution models (see Objective 2 below) and understand how changes in climate might affect insect distribution.

For Objective 2, we will use new and existing data from Objective 1 to develop a tool based on landscape models to assess the likelihood of pest infestation. This tool will be freely available for soybean farmers and available on myFields, a web-based extension management tool.

For Objective 3, we will continue to update and add new information and update newsletters, KSRE Soybean Insect Management Guide, myFields, an extension-based management tool (https://www.myfields.info/).

We received a 3 month extension to complete data collection over the summer. To date, for Obj. 1, we have extensively sampled counties across much of northeast Kansas for the presence of soybean gall midge (SGM). Sixty sites were sampled in 2022 and no records have been found then. However, recently SGM was found in two counties (Nemaha and Marshall). This new pest continues to expand its range across southern Nebraska and southwestern Iowa (15 new counties were added in 2022). Consequently, the new alert and notification on module within myFields.info (Obj. 3) allows us to send alerts to specific counties and users can sign up for a free account to receive notifications via email. For Obj. 1, we also tested the efficacy of new pest monitoring strategies and management practices. For improved monitoring strategies, we tested the efficacy of various stink bug pheromones across 6 fields in central Kansas. Preliminary results show that the lures are effective in attracting several species of economically important stink bugs to the traps. More information will be provided as sticky cards and sweep samples were processed this past winter and are currently being analyzed. For improved management, we started an insecticide efficacy trial this summer examining the effectiveness of two new insecticides in comparison to five older general use synthetic organic products. These two new insecticides are more specific to pests (mostly lepidopterans) and less harmful to non-target organisms such as beneficials. We are in the process of collecting data and we will share results and pertinent information to Kansas stakeholders through as many venues as possible (Obj. 3). Furthermore, the PhD student currently funded on this grant and several undergraduates are carrying out Objectives 1 and 2. The PhD student and undergraduate completed sampling 60 fields across eastern KS. They will use collected data along with previously data collected in soybean either from prior years, publicly available data, and data from neighboring states, to understand how landscape features of the environment impact the densities of occasional pests within KS landscapes. They are currently focusing on Japanese beetles since this invasive species is expanding in their ranges and becoming more persistent in soybean fields. They plan to expand modelling efforts to other important pest insects (e.g., Dectes, soybean podworm, and stinkbugs) and will incorporate to results to myFields (Obj. 3).