Cover Crops and Early-Season Insects

A Mar. 1, 2017 post on the UTcrops News Blog site entitled “Pest Management and Cover Crops” authored by Dr. Scott Stewart, IPM Extension Specialist, brings up an interesting point; i.e., what influence will cover crops have on early-season insect pest complexes.

As stated in the article, cover crops are gaining considerable attention as a potential component of soybean cropping systems for myriad reasons (Click here for a Cover Crops White Paper on this website). Dr. Stewart provides some suggestions for maximizing the benefits of cover crops while also reducing the risk of potential insect pest problems when they are used.

From everything I have read and seen about using cover crops to increase sustainability of crop production and assist in the control of herbicide-resistant weeds, the positives can outweigh the negatives if an adequate cover crop stand with the proper species is achieved in the fall, and if the cover crop is terminated properly and on a timely basis in relation to soybean planting. However, other than anecdotal information, little is known about how their inclusion in a cropping system may change early-season insect pest dynamics, and how to manage the possible early-season insect pest problems associated with their use.

Fortunately, the MSPB is funding a project entitled “Influence of cover crops on early season insect pest dynamics in Mississippi soybeans” that is being conducted under the leadership of Dr. Angus Catchot, Professor of Extension at Miss. State Univ. The objectives of this research are to determine the influence of cover crops on early-season insect pest dynamics, monitor early-season insect pressure in cropping systems with and without various cover crop species, determine the effect of treated and non-treated soybean seed on insect pest dynamics in these systems, and determine the need for and/or efficacy of early-season foliar-applied insecticides when cover crops are used.

The results of this project should provide Mississippi soybean producers with information on the potential changes in early-season insect pest dynamics that may be associated with inclusion of cover crops, as well as the resulting economic effect associated with cover crop usage in relation to the potential for increased early-season insect pest management.

Composed by Larry G. Heatherly, Mar. 2017, larryheatherly@belsouth.net