AUBURN - The Nemaha County Ag Line reports on emerging and potential corn and soybean pests for 2021.

Nemaha County Extension reports that the soybean gall midge is increasing in eastern Nebraska, especially in Saunders, Lancaster, Otoe and Cass counties.

The midge, which almost looks like a mosquito, turns orange as it matures. It starts along edges of fields and migrates inward and kills plants as it girdles the stem near the soil surface.

UNL Crop Watch photos 

 

UNL’s Crop Watch reports that three soybean gall midge adults were collected south of Louisville in June of 2020.

Nebraska extension also has a guide regarding soybean stem borer.  The insect has primarily impacted fields bordering Kansas, but has now been active in Otoe County.

 

Japanese beetles are also on the rise. The Ag Line report says they have not caused economic damage to corn or soybeans.

In corn, the economic threshold is three insects per plant when they are clipping the silks of corn during pollination. For soybeans the economic threshold is 30 percent defoliation during vegetative stage or 20 percent during reproductive stage.

Ag Line reports some fields in Cass County were treated due to heavy defoliation of soybeans.

The report also says there is concern that Frogeye Leaf Spot may be resistant to some fungicide. In Nebraska, 10 counties have identified the soybean disease.