Effect of Bean Leaf Beetle Management on Soybean Yield and on Incidence of Bean Pod Mottle Virus in Eastern Iowa

The bean leaf beetle (BLB) is a long-time pest of soybeans and other beans; but until 2000, it seldom reached levels that warranted treatment on a large scale. Recently however, the BLB also has been identified as the transmission source of a disease called bean pod mottle virus (BPMV), which can cause yield reduction of benas as well as discoloring of soybeans that results in dockage at market. During the winter of 2000–2001, high overwintering BLB populations due to an extensive insulating snow cover suggested that BLB populations would be quite high during the 2001 growing season. While research by Dr. Larry Pedigo, professor of entomology, and others has been done to establish developmental stage thresholds for BLB management in soybeans, the addition of BPMV to the overall equation indicated the need for additional research to determine timing, effectiveness, and economics of spraying to prevent the introduction of BPMV into the plants