Soybeans at Risk for BPMV

Soybean farmers in 16 Iowa counties may have fields at risk this summer from a soybean virus called bean pod mottle virus (BPMV), according to a model developed at Iowa State University (ISU).

Counties identified by the ISU Pre-Plant BPMV Prediction Model to be at moderate risk are: Cedar, Clinton, Des Moines, Henry, Jefferson, Johnson, Keokuk, Lee, Linn, Louisa, Marion, Muscatine, Osceola, Scott, Wapello and Wayne. All counties but Osceola are located toward the southeast part of the state.

“Soybean growers in those counties are cautioned to use recommended best management practices for bean leaf beetle control to minimize the impact of the disease,” says ISU Plant Pathologist Forrest Nutter.

In counties identified as being at risk, soybean growers should conscientiously scout to detect areas where bean leaf beetle populations may be high enough to warrant mid-season foliar insecticide control measures, noting that early planted soybean fields have higher risk of BPMV incidence.

Those growers in low-risk counties should still scout their fields routinely for bean leaf beetles, as there may have been pockets where the depth and duration of snow cover was sufficient to provide insulation for bean leaf beetles to survive.

Click here for the full release from the Iowa Soybean Association.