Seasonal abundance, species composition, and population dynamics of stink bugs in production fields of early and late soybean in South Arkansas.

From 2003 through 2007, densities of stink bugs were monitored weekly in 297 commercial production fields of early and late soybean, Glycine max L. Merrill, in southeast and southwest Arkansas. The goal of this research was to better understand seasonal abundance, species composition, and population dynamics of pentatomids as a benchmark reference for future management systems. Thirty-five percent of all the 25-sweep samples taken in soybean contained at least one stink bug specimen. The average density (mean +/- SEM) of stink bugs across all soybean samples was 1.84 +/- 0.06 per 25 sweeps. Overall, Nezara viridula L. was the most abundant species, although Euschistus serous (Say) was frequently found in soybean samples (18% of all samples). Peak densities of stink bugs in soybean were observed during the full-pod (R7) developmental stage. Approximately 25% of all soybean fields sampled had threshold densities (nine or more per 25 sweeps) at some time during the year, although 82 and 78% of fields in 2006 and 2007, respectively, reached threshold. At low densities (one to three stink bugs per 25 sweeps), E. serous comprised 50% of total stink bugs, but at high densities (> 71 stink bugs per 25 sweeps), N. viridula comprised 81% of total stink bugs. Piezodorus guildinii (Westwood) was observed as a pest of Arkansas soybean in 2005, and reproduction in soybean was documented in 2006 and 2007. Stink bugs seem to be a serious and increasingly important pest of soybean in southern Arkansas. Crop phenological development is a key factor in predicting colonization and population growth of stink bugs on Arkansas soybean, regardless of geographic region or type of soybean production system.