Stink bug control at different stages of soybean development

ABSTRACT This study evaluates the effects of combinations of pyrethroids and neonicotinoids on the control of stink bugs at different stages of soybean crop development. The experiment was set up in a factorial randomized block design (4×6: 4 treatments and 6 stages) with 4 repetitions. The following treatments were tested during the V6/V7, R2, R4, R5.1, R5.5 and R 6 phenological stages: 1 – control (no application), 2 – thiamethoxam + λ-cyhalothrin, 3 – acetamiprid + α-cypermethrin, and 4 – dinotefuran + α-cypermethrin. Infestation, number of damaged seeds, number of pods, number of pods per plant, and yield (kg/ha) were evaluated. Stink bug infestations were smaller when applications commenced during the vegetative stages (V6-V8). Pod numbers and yields were highest in the dinotefuran + α-cypermethrin treatment with applications from V6/V8 to R4. The active ingredients dinotefuran + α-cypermethrin reduced stink bug populations and increased yields and could therefore be considered in integrated pest management (IPM) programs for soybean crops.