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Soybean gall midge creeping east across the Midwest

A crop systems protection specialist says a relatively new soybean pest could threaten yields and farmers’ bottom line as it spreads across the Midwest.  

“Six new counties in Iowa, and now we’re only four counties away from Illinois.”

Justin McMechan with the University of Nebraska says soybean gall midge was first identified in 2019 and has been confirmed in seven states – Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota – but could move into Illinois, Indiana and Ohio soon. “I’d be very surprised if in a year or two that we have a problem out that way. We’ll probably looking at detection for a while until it builds up pressure, if it builds up pressure.” Missouri, Kansas and North Dakota have presence. Kansas just this year we detected in northern Kansas. Nebraska is probably hardest hit.  I think there are fields in Iowa that look worse this year than in Nebraska.”

He tells Brownfield it has caused up a 30 percent loss in yields. “Managing this insect is never going to be easy.  Host plant resistance is what we’re after. It’s a decade long game that you can lose if we get resistant to that host plant-resistant source once we identify it.”

McMechan says now is an ideal time to scout for the insect by going in one row, parting the canopy and listening for a snap in the stalk. He says it will have dark discoloration at the bottom of the stalk with orange-like larvae.

He says growers can hill soybeans by pulling up soil around the base of the plant, planting in late May or early June and applying some insecticides.

Justin McMechan, University of Nebraska-Lincoln: