Chemical Management of Late-Season Bean Leaf Beetles in Northeast Iowa Soybeans

The bean leaf beetle can be a serious pest of soybeans. There are three populations of beetles that feed on soybean plants throughout the growing season the overwintered population at plant emergence, the first generation during late June and July, and the second generation during August and September. The second generation can cause significant damage to pods, which reduces both soybean quality and quantity. In central Iowa, this insect reached historically high numbers during late summer of 2002. Recently, it was found that this insect also transmits bean pod mottle virus, a yield reducing plant pathogen. The objective of this experiment was to measure the performance of several insecticides for control of second-generation bean leaf beetles.