Rhyssomatus subtilis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) impact in soybean plan stands

CAZADO L. E.; AUGUSTO CASMUZ; FRANCO S. SCALORA; G. GASTAMINZA; D.G. RILEY; M. GABRIELA MURÚA

JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGICAL SCIENCE

GEORGIA ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC INC

Año: 2016 vol. 51 p. 69 - 78

0749-8004

The black soybean weevil, Rhyssomatus subtilis (Fiedler), is an important, but sparsely researched insect pest of soybean in South America. Severe damage is caused when the weeviles attack soybean seedlings resulting in reduced plant stands, and when weevils feed on and oviposite in seed pods. The objectives of this 3-yr study were to quantify early season damage caused by R. subtilis to terminal buds and plant stands in soybean and evaluate insecticide seed treatments under field conditions relative to this damage. Terminal bud damage is the most consistent criteria for determining early-season damage by R. subtilis to soybean. The results indicated that R. subtilis can cause as much as 36% plant stand loss in soybean. Thiamethoxam and a mixture of ethiprole + fipronil provided significant levels of control of R. subtilis damage with the higher doses of each product tending to provide longer-lasting protection.