2018
Research & Management of SB Insects FY18
Contributor/Checkoff:
Category:
Sustainable Production
Keywords:
Biotic stressCrop protectionField management Pest
Parent Project:
This is the first year of this project.
Lead Principal Investigator:
Kelley Tilmon, The Ohio State University
Co-Principal Investigators:
Project Code:
18-R-04
Contributing Organization (Checkoff):
Institution Funded:
Brief Project Summary:

Soybean growers continually face the threat of insects inflicting heavy damage. The stink bug complex, particularly the brown marmorated stink bug, is one emerging problem in Ohio. Similarly, the kudzu bug has a strong potential to invade and damage Ohio soybeans. Among the established pests, soybean aphid continues to impact soybean yield. These pests pose an even greater threat to specialty soybeans because of their higher nutritional quality. This project intends to develop studies to understand the distribution and potential risks of emerging and established pests, develop genetic resistance to these pests and develop and implement insect pest management recommendations before serious and economic damage occurs.

Key Benefactors:
farmers, agronomists, extension agents

Information And Results
Project Deliverables

Continuing this effort will provide an early warning system if and when this pest should arrive in our state.
Detect or monitor the distribution ofstink bugs and kudzu bugs in Ohio.
this will be the basis of a future research effort to develop stink bug thresholds based on sticky cards counts rather than the more laborious sweeping method
a quick reference card to help growers identify the stink bug adults and nymphs present in their soybean fields and to provide streamlined scouting and threshold information.
preliminary data will allow us to compare the genetics of aphids surviving on the 3-way pyramid, and potentially describe new biotypes. With knowledge of the origins of this new biotype, we can firmly understand the factors leading to aphid biotype adaptation, and strategies to mitigate adaptation.
Q1 (October-December)?Aphid colonies surviving on the 3 way pyramid will be established and reared. We will maintain aphid colonies that are confirmed to survive on these varieties with on-plant assays?Develop trapping maps and outreach material based on the 2017growing season (current OSC project)Q2(January-March)?DNA of aphid colonies will be extracted and SNPs generated using the fluidigm?Deliver 2017trapping and sampling results at various extension venuesQ3(April-June)?Gene expression of aphid colonies will be tested using qRT-PCR and compared to previously generated data?Sentinel plots will be planted in previous locations ?All combinations of biotypes and resistant plants will be tested as above.?Sites will be selected for stink bug and kudzu bug sampling, and stick card and pollinator experimentsQ4(July-September)?Genetic data will be analyzed and a manuscript prepared. Sentinel plots will be inspected for additional aphids and sent to the Michel Lab for genotyping?Conduct insect sampling and trapping and publish relevant real-time information in the C.O.R.N. newsletter?Conduct sticky card and pollinator timing studies and prepare data for analysis

Final Project Results

Update:
Objective 1 was to monitor or detect the distribution of stink bugs and kudzu bugs in Ohio. Monitoring these pests is an ongoing objective in our work and helps us provide alerts and focus our extension efforts in the most key regions. Kudzu bug monitoring earlier in the year featured traps deployed in nine counties in southern Ohio (Adams, Athens, Butler, Clermont, Madison, Meigs, Montgomery, Ross and Washington). This is a collaborative effort with Ohio Extension Educators, who checked these traps and report to us weekly from May through June. Trapping results were published regularly in the OSU C.O.R.N newsletter. No kudzu bugs were found. Stink bug monitoring was conducted from July through August. Higher than average stink bug populations and subsequent seed damage were found in several parts of the state. We used this information to increase our outreach efforts for stink bug scouting, and we intend to feature this topic in winter extension programs. Objective 2 involved two experiments to help guide soybean production practices. One is a study on whether sticky cards can be used as a monitoring tool in soybean fields to help producers with scouting and management decisions. Based on data from a preliminary study in 2017 we conducted a 2018 experiment involving sticky cards with stink bug pheromone baits, from August through mid-September. We are still analyzing data from this study to look at the spatial patterns of trap location, and to compare trap catches with sweep net data to determine how these traps could best be used in monitoring programs. The traps caught stink bugs in large numbers, suggesting this will be a promising monitoring tool. We plan to repeat this study in 2019, refining it based on results from this year. The other study in this objective was to pinpoint the time of day when bees are most active in soybean, which will help producers to time sprays for minimum impact on the bees. This work was conducted during soybean bloom in July. Data are still being analyzed, but in general the highest bee activity was noted from mid-morning to mid-afternoon. Objective 3 was to develop a quick-scout and quick-ID card for different stink bugs found in Ohio soybeans, for use as an in-field scouting aid. This project was completed, the cards printed, and they will be distributed to county extension educators and to farmers during the winter extension season, and are also available free online. Objective 4 was to screen a newer Rag variety with 3 genes (Rag1/Rag2/Rag3) for the presence of any aphids that may be able to survive. In early September, we found a small number of aphids and nymphs on these resistant plants in a field on the Wooster Campus. Although the number of aphids were exceedingly low (no more than 10 per plant), we were able to collect about 20 leaves from different plants with a small number of aphids. These were brought into the laboratory and placed in Petri dishes on detached aphid-susceptible leaves to increase aphid colony size. We have placed cohorts of these aphid colonies on Rag1/Rag2/Rag3 plants to measure their level of production. So far, few have been able to establish substantial colonies. However, we have 3 aphids lines that are able to survive at least 7 days on Rag1/Rag2/Rag3. We will maintain these lines and continuously rear them on Rag1/Rag2/Rag3 plants to create a new virulent biotype.

The United Soybean Research Retention policy will display final reports with the project once completed but working files will be purged after three years. And financial information after seven years. All pertinent information is in the final report or if you want more information, please contact the project lead at your state soybean organization or principal investigator listed on the project.