Farmers, agronomist, and pest management specialist continue to gather intel on an emerging threat to soybeans.
Soybean gall midge first appeared in Minnesota in 2018. Since then, University of Minnesota Extension integrated pest management specialist, Bruce Potter says that he and others have learned a lot about the insect. “Were actually able to soil sample in the fall, or spring, and we can find larvae...they pupate in the spring, similar to the European corn borers,” Potter states.
He notes that they also know soybean gall midge produce multiple generation, but do not yet have a good handle on how fast they develop depending on temperature. Potter also suspects that first generation soybean gall midge are beginning to surface.