Assessment of Iowa soybean growers on IPM practices

Detection of soybean aphid in Iowa in 2000 had a dramatic change in soybean pest management. In 2009, Iowa soybean growers were surveyed about current insect pest management practices. The purpose was to better understand how often growers were scouting and what they perceived as the primary pests in Iowa soybean. Of the 4,900 surveys distributed, 913 responded. A majority of soybean fields are scouted weekly (59%). Soybean aphid is the primary pest throughout the state (94% participants). There was a 1,423% increase of insecticides applied to soybean since 2000, likely due to the presence of soybean aphid. Iowa growers are getting pest management information via agribusiness and extension, and finding it useful for making pest management decisions.