Annual Variation in Stink Bug (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) Seasonal Abundance and Species Composition in Georgia Soybean and Its Impact on Yield and Quality

Abstract

Six soybean fields in southwest, south central and southeast Georgia were sampled weekly, beginning in mid-June and continuing until mid-October 1987–1991, for the presence of stink bug pests. Nezara viridula (L.), Acrosternum hilare (Say), Euschistus servus (Say), and Piezodorus guildinii (Westwood) comprised over 98% of the stink bug complex during this period, although eight other pest species plus three predatory species also were encountered. Stink bug population densities began to steadily increase in mid-August as the pods began to fill with seeds and peaked in mid-September to early October. Piezodorus guildinii accounted for over 13% of the total stink bug complex in 1987, but was present at low densities (less than 1%) the next four seasons. The three years when stink bug pests caused economic losses to soybean (1988, 1989 and 1991), the high population levels were due to high numbers of N. viridula. The years with low seasonal stink bug populations (1987 and 1990) had near equal numbers of the major pest species. When the stink bug complex exceeded the current treatment threshold level of 9 per 25 sweeps, significant reductions in soybean yield and quality were documented.