Yield of soybean genotypes under infestation of the velvetbean caterpillar and stink bugs

Three soybean experiments, one for each maturation group (early, semi-early, and medium), were installed in the field in Assis, State of São Paulo, during the 2003/2004 growing season to evaluate damage caused by Anticarsia gemmatalis (Hubn.) and by the soybean stink bug complex, Euschistus heros (F.), Piezodorus guildinii (West.), and Nezara viridula (L.). The experiments were installed again in 2004/2005, with the exception of the early cycle group. Defoliation caused by A. gemmatalis was evaluated by the percentage estimate of leaf area cut in the first year only, due to low caterpillar infestations in 2004/2005. All three stink bug species were present in both growing seasons. In 2003/2004, E. heros was predominant over the other two; in the following year, all three species occurred in similar numbers. The productivity criterion was adopted to evaluate stink bug damage. Based on both growing seasons and mainly considering productivity, a few lines could be selected within each maturation group for new field studies or for hybridizations in breeding programs. Among the early germplasm varieties, lines IAC 98-4540, IAC 98-4576, and IAC 98-3123 can be highlighted as promising; the latter also showed little defoliation by A. gemmatalis; in the semi-early group, IAC 98-4017, IAC 98-2663, and IAC 98-4250 were prominent, with steady productivity in both years; in the medium group, IAC 98-4136, the most productive, as well as IAC 98-4140 and IAC 98-4133, all with little defoliation, can be pointed out as promising.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq