Research update on host plant resistance for soybean aphid

The availability of host plant resistance to soybean aphid could be an attractive tool to soybean producers throughout the North Central Region (Hodgson et al. 2009). The implementation of host plant resistance in a soybean IPM (integrated pest management) program would be an ideal step forward in reducing insecticide usage. However, we still need to gather “real world” data in how these resistant varieties perform throughout Iowa. Fundamental plant properties such as pod number, seed number, seed size and ultimate yield potential are all being evaluated by agronomists, but to what degree resistant plants will respond to soybean aphid still needs to be demonstrated in Iowa. Foliar insecticides have proven to be the most cost-effective method of soybean aphid control (Johnson et al. 2009), and therefore product comparisons are of interest to growers, extension personnel and members of industry