Some areas of the southern soybean and peanut growing regions east of the Mississippi River had lighter-than-normal insect pest pressure in 2023. Taking into consideration the milder temperatures that were recorded across parts of that region this past winter, and considering back-to-back years of low pest pressure are rare, higher counts are more probable in 2024.

“Having a light insect season is not something southern farmers can anticipate often says,” Todd Spivey, market development specialist, Corteva Agriscience. “Coupling that with a less than severe winter could be a precursor to moth flights arriving sooner than later.”

Ask veteran consultants and they will probably tell you that any migrating lepidopteran pest making an early arrival will be looking for food sources, especially maturing soybeans and peanuts.

Trust Intrepid Edge® insecticide to protect your soybean yield potential from loopers and worms. Photo submitted by Corteva Agriscience.

“Because of those factors, I am advising growers to be ready to initiate pest control efforts maybe a little earlier than they normally would,” Spivey says. “No farmer should fall into the trap of thinking 2024 is going to be like 2023 from a pest pressure perspective. Be diligent with scouting; adjust your pest management plan quickly when warranted so you don’t get forced behind the eight ball.”

Transgenic varieties seem to still be effective maintaining bollworms below economic threshold levels in cotton unless heavy infestations move in. If larger moth flights do materialize, cotton producers often rely on diamides for control. Because soybeans and peanuts are limited to herbicide trait technologies, some farmers might look at diamides to mitigate loopers and armyworms. From a resistance management stewardship standpoint, alternatives should be considered, and an alternative trusted by more and more producers continues to be Intrepid Edge® insecticide. 

“When it comes to loopers, Intrepid Edge insecticide provides excellent control,” Spivey says. “The growth regulator active ingredient is outstanding for looper and worm control. There’s nothing better on the market better than Intrepid Edge insecticide on loopers.”

Intrepid Edge insecticide has dual modes of action — a Group 5 insecticide and a Group 18 insecticide. The Group 18 active ingredient is a growth regulator, which causes a caterpillar to try to molt before it normally would. That premature molt is lethal to the larvae.

“Because of the two modes of action and dual active ingredients, you get multiple forms of activity — contact and ingestion,” Spivey says. “Intrepid Edge insecticide delivers a fast knockdown to stop the feeding activity of young caterpillars as well as extended residual crop protection. That package of protection should make Intrepid Edge insecticide the easy choice to protect soybeans entering that R3 to R4 growth stage and when peanut row middles start lapping and pegging begins.”

Loopers continue to be a problem pest in peanuts across the Mid-Atlantic states. Rely on Intrepid Edge® insecticide for reliable control and more end-season yield potential. Photo submitted by Corteva Agriscience.

See how Intrepid Edge insecticide can protect the health and yield potential of your row crops by clicking this link.

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