OMAFRA's Tracey Baute is worried not all soybean growers are taking the time to check their fields for aphids.
She says it's important to scout those fields every 7 to 10 days until populations are found, then every 3-4 days as the aphid populations approach the threshold.
That threshold is 250 soybean aphids per plant and actively increasing on 80 per cent of the plants from the R1 to the R5 stage.
Baute says that gives growers a 7-10 day lead time before the aphids reach the economic injury level.
She defines that as where cost of control equals yield loss .
Baute points out that if the aphid populations are not consistently increasing above 250 aphids per plant, natural enemies are keeping up with them.
She's also reminding growers that if they do need to spray they should time their applications to minimize bee exposure.
