Evaluation of Corn Earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) , Economic Injury Levels in Mid-South Reproductive Stage Soybean. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • Field experiments were conducted in Starkville and Stoneville, MS; Marianna, AR; Winnsboro, LA; and Jackson, TN, during 2012 and 2014 to evaluate the relationship of corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), larval density and yield and the relationship between the percentage of damaged pods and yield in Mid-South soybean systems. Corn earworm moths were infested into field cages at R2 for 5-11d to achieve a range of larval densities within each plot. Larval density was estimated at 14d after infestation. Total pods and damaged pods were determined at 19 days after infestation to obtain the percentage of damaged pods. Plots were harvested at the end of each growing season and yield recorded. Data were subjected to regression analysis, and the relationship between larval density and yield and the relationship between the percentage of damaged pods and yield both can be described by a linear relationship. Each increase of one larvae per row-m resulted in a yield loss of 45.4kg/ha. Similarly, each increase of 1% damaged pods resulted in a yield loss of 29.4kg/ha. From these data, economic injury levels were developed for a range of crop values and control costs. These data suggest that current corn earworm threshold use in the Mid-South should be reduced.

published proceedings

  • J Econ Entomol

author list (cited authors)

  • Adams, B. P., Cook, D. R., Catchot, A. L., Gore, J., Musser, F., Stewart, S. D., ... Golden, B.

citation count

  • 5

complete list of authors

  • Adams, BP||Cook, DR||Catchot, AL||Gore, J||Musser, F||Stewart, SD||Kerns, DL||Lorenz, GM||Irby, JT||Golden, B

publication date

  • April 2016