Five years of soybean aphid in NE Iowa: What have we learned?

Since the onset of soybean aphid in northeast Iowa in 2001, Iowa State University Extension has conducted research trials near Decorah. We have monitored this pest\u27s activity on a weekly basis and tested foliar insecticides, timing of applications, insecticide seed treatments, and certified organic aphid deterrents. At the Howard County Experimental Farm near Cresco/Saratoga and at the Iowa State University Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm near Nashua, we also measured aphid activity relative to soybean plant populations, row spacing, tillage systems, planting dates, and relative maturity of varieties. In this article, I provide a general summary of most of this soybean aphid research and highlight trends and patterns that we have observed in northeast Iowa