IPM IN SOYBEANS: HOW TO REDUCE CROP DAMAGE AND INCREASE PROFIT FOR THE FARMER

Abstract

The objective of the present work was to implement integrated pest management (IPM) in the soybean crop, comparing it with the management carried out by the farmer during two consecutive seasons. The monitoring of adult lepidopterans was also evaluated using Delta-type traps baited with the sexual pheromones of Spodoptera frugiperda (Bio Spodotera®), Helicoverpa armigera (Bio Helicoverpa®) and Chrysodeixis includens (Bio Pseudoplusia®). Incidence of caterpillars and stinkbugs in soybeans was weekly determined, both in the IPM area and in the farmer, area using the beat cloth method. Insecticide applications in the IPM area were carried out when pest population densities reached the control level, while in the area managed by the farmer, sprayings were carried out at his discretion. Based on the results obtained, we found that adoption of IPM enabled better control of the pests in soybeans, especially for stink bugs, and the number of insecticide applications in soybeans could be reduced, which provides economic and environmental benefits for the farmer. In addition, we found that the sexual pheromones of the three evaluated pest species are effective in capturing their moths.