New Insecticides For Soybean Aphids

This is the time of the year when farmers begin to scout their soybean fields for soybean aphids. In the past if treatment thresholds were reached we used an insecticide from the pyrethroid group 3A or organophosphate group 1B. Since 2015 soybean aphid populations have been found to be resistant to the pyrethroid insecticides. They are likely still present in Minnesota. That left only one group of insecticides available for farmers to use, organophosphates.

That is why I was relieved to read a news release written by Extension Entomologist Robert Koch and IPM Specialist Bruce Potter that we now have 2 more effective insecticides for use against soybean aphids. Sefrina from BASF is a Group 9D that received registration last fall. Transform Group 4C from Corteva received EPA registration this spring. Both of these insecticides have proven to be effective against soybean aphids while being less toxic to beneficial predatory insects.

This is welcome news for soybean growers to have more tools in the toolbox to control soybean aphids.