The soybean gall midge was discovered in 2018 by entomologists in Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota who observed dead or dying soybean plants to be associated with an infestation of midge larvae at the base of the stem. These midges were identified as a new species in 2019. Soybean gall midge is now established in five states including Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota, Iowa and Missouri, and its distribution continues to expand to a total of 140 counties as of 2021. Soybean gall midge causes economic yield losses in soybeans in some areas with high populations, especially in east-central Nebraska. We propose to survey for this invasive insect pest to determine if it is present and established in North Dakota. Survey work for the destructive soybean gall midge is crucial, so that soybean producers are aware of its current distribution and pest density in North Dakota and so that effective pest management strategies can be developed.

1) To conduct survey work for the detection of the invasive soybean gall midge.
2) To develop extension outreach material on soybean insect pests for NSDC and growers.

• Results will be published in NDSC reports and trade magazines, NDSC podcasts and NDSU Extension's Crop & Pest Report.
• Results also will be posted on the NDSU Extension IPM websites.
• Results will be presented at soybean extension and commodity meetings
• New soybean insect outreach materials will be provided to NDSC and soybean growers.

Updated November 22, 2022:

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Updated July 6, 2023:

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View uploaded report 2

Soybean Gall Midge Survey in North Dakota

Investigators:
Dr. Janet J. Knodel, Professor and Extension Entomologist
Dr. Veronica Calles Torrez, Post-doctoral Scientist
Patrick Beauzay, State IPM Coordinator and Research Specialist

The soybean gall midge was discovered in 2018 by entomologists in Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota who observed dead or dying soybean plants associated with an infestation of midge larvae at the bases of the stems. These midges were identified as a new species in 2019. Soybean gall midge is now established in five states including Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota, Iowa and Missouri. Its distribution continues to expand from a total of 67 counties in 2018 to 140 counties in 2022. Soybean gall midge causes economic yield losses in soybeans in some areas with high populations, especially in east-central Nebraska. We propose to survey for this invasive insect pest to determine if it is present and established in North Dakota.

We surveyed a total of 436 soybean fields for soybean gall midge in 45 of the 53 counties in North Dakota. The most intense survey was conducted in the southeastern part of the state, since the known soybean gall midge infestations in Minnesota and South Dakota are closest to the North Dakota border. Results of our 2022 soybean gall midge survey were negative for most soybean fields surveyed in North Dakota, except for one soybean field in Sargent County near Gwinner. DNA analysis confirmed its identity as soybean gall midge. This is the first soybean gall midge detection in North Dakota. Survey work for soybean gall midge is crucial so that soybean producers are aware of its current distribution and abundance in North Dakota, and so that effective pest management strategies can be developed.

NDSU Extension outreach materials are being developed, including a second educational banner on key insect pests of soybeans and a Soybean Insect Diagnostic Series. These materials will be used to educate North Dakota soybean farmers, crop consultants, IPM scouts and the soybean industry.

For Objective 1, a survey will be conducted in North Dakota to determine if the soybean gall midge is present and at what level of infestation. Currently, no pest management recommendations are available for control of this yield robbing gall midge in soybeans.
Objective 2 will provide a new soybean insect pest publication and a banner for use by the NDSC, soybean growers and NDSU Extension.
An Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach will benefit the North Dakota soybean industry by properly identifying insect pests, minimizing soybean pest damage, and being proactive to detection of new insect pests, thereby reducing risks and improving soybean productivity.