David Owens, Extension Entomologist, owensd@udel.edu
Alfalfa
Continue scouting fields for potato leafhopper.
Soybean
The early season defoliator complex is active. Seedlings and vegetative stage soybean can usually withstand greater than 40% leaf loss without suffering a yield penalty. However, under dry conditions, a lower threshold may be necessary. Continue scouting for stand loss. While uncommon, the last two years we have had some isolated but severe cutworm-related stand loss in soybean.
Field Corn
Scout field corn for stink bug activity. As a reminder, stink bug threhsolds were recently adjusted DOWN (https://corn.ces.ncsu.edu/stink-bug-management-in-corn/). Stink bugs are going to be on the main stem between the first leaf and the primary ear on older corn. On early vegetative field corn (<V6), look on the stalk below the lowest green leaf. Continue scouting for cutworm. Small cutworms will leave transverse holes in the leaves alerting you to their presence, while larger cutworms will cut entire plants up until V6.