Potential for Integrated Management of Soybean Virus Disease

The recent introduction of the colonizing soybean aphid (Aphis glycines) to soybean in the northern United States has raised concern for potential increased disease caused by the nonpersistently aphid-transmitted Soybean mosaic virus (SMV). This study was conducted to examine the potential integration of host plant resistance and insecticide tactics for control of virus disease. Research from four location-years demonstrated that foliar application of the pyrethroid insecticide lambda-cyhalothrin (Warrior) or the organophosphate chlorpyrifos (Lorsban 4E) timed to suppress soybean aphid populations does not reduce SMV. Therefore, the introduction of a colonizing aphid to the array of migratory noncolonizing aphids that transmit SMV does not result in potential for disease control through vector suppression by foliar insecticides. Treatment also did not result in management of Bean pod mottle virus (BPMV), transmitted by the bean leaf beetle (Cerotoma trifurcata), presumably because of issues related to different phenologies of the insect vectors. Soybean cultivars with the lowest virus titer in seed produced the highest grain yield and, thus, were rated as field tolerant compared with cultivars with the highest virus titer in seed. Host plant resistance, not vector control, is the most effective tactic to control SMV.