Scientific Notes - Soybean: A Larval Host for the Southern Corn Rootworm

Sep 2, 2026

Scientific Notes present findings on soybean as a larval host for the southern corn rootworm (SCR), Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi. The study documents SCR development from egg to adult on soybean under greenhouse and field conditions, using controlled releases into field cages and emergence monitoring. Additional greenhouse comparisons assess larval performance on cucumber, corn, and soybean, measuring survival, emergence, developmental time, and adult size to evaluate host suitability.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages3

Reading Time8 min

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Scientific Notes

Background and prior reports

Field and phenology study

Greenhouse comparison of host suitability

Results and supporting literature

been later than in Wyeomyia.Ovipositional patterns in Wyeomyia seemheretofore unreported.Diurnal oviposition may allow W.mitchellii andW.vanduzeei,to a greater extent than in Kerteszia and other nocturnallyactive mosquitoes,to use visual cues in locating oviposition sites. Biting by W.mitchellii,as judged by collections in baited traps,seemsto be limited to daylight hours and shows an activity peak in late afternoon(Edman and Haeger 1977).Vision may be important in finding hosts aswell as oviposition sites. University of Florida,Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences,Journal Series no.5789.On the bionomics of bromeliad-inhabiting mos-quitoes XIV. REFERENCES CITED EDMAN,J.D.,AND_J.S.HAEGER.1977.Host-feeding_patterns of Floridamosquitoes V.Wyeomyia.J.Med.Ent.14:477-479. FRANK,J.H.,AND G.A.CURTIS.1982.Bionomics of the bromeliad-inhabit-ing mosquito Wyeomyia vanduzeei and its nursery plant Tillandsiautriculata.Florida Ent.64:491-506. —,AND H.T.EVANS.1976.On the bionomics ofbromeliad-inhabiting mosquitoes.I.Some factors influencing ovi-position by Wyeomyia vanduzeei.Mosquito News 36:25-30.HADDOw,A.J.1954.Studies of the biting habits of African mosquitoes.Anappraisal of methods employed,with special reference to the twenty-four-hour catch.Bull.Ent.Res.45:199-242. ,AND J.D.GILLETT.1957.Observations on the oviposition-cycle of Aedes(Stegomyia)aegypti(Linnaeus).Ann.Trop.Med.Parasit.51:159-69. RACHOU,R.G.1950.Observacões sobre o ciclo evolutivo dos anofelinos dosubgenero Kerteszia em laboratório:fase do ovo.Rev.BrasilciraMalariol.2:111-8. RILEY,W.A.,AND O.A.JoHANNSEN.1938.Medical entomology.MeGraw-Hill,New York.XIII+483 p. SOYBEAN:A LARVAL HOST FOR THESOUTHERN CORN ROOTWORM(COLEOPTERA:CHRYSOMELIDAE) LANCE J.MEINKE¹,F.GOULD,AND J.W.VAN DUYNDepartment of EntomologyNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleigh,North Carolina 27695-7628 Little is known about soybean as a larval host for the southern cornrootworm (SCR),Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber.Mayseet al.(1975)documented that SCR females oviposit in soybean fields.Petty(1966)reported that SCR larvae were“collected in numbers from one soy-bean field,"but did not establish if soybean was the larval host.Turnipseed(1973)mentioned that SCR larvae may occasionally damage seed,roots ornodules of soybeans.Newsom et al.(1980)list SCR larvae as a minor 1Present address:Dept.of Entomology,University of Nebraska,Lincoln,NE 68583-0816. # Scientific Notes pcst of soybean roots and nodules.Dala presented below are to ourknowledge the first documentation that the SCR can develop from egg toadult on soybean in the greenhouse and the field. SCR phenology and ovipositional ecology were studied in several cropsat the Tidewater Research Station,Plymouth,NC during 1982.GravidSCR females were released into ield cages(1.8 x 3.7x 7.3 ml)placedover Forrest soybeans on 29 June 1982.Cages were removed after one weekand plastic cups(0.472 liters),used as emergence cages,were placedupsidedown on the soil surface next to each soybean row.Plots were keptfree of weeds and cups were checked weekly for emerged SCR. Eleven adults emerged from 5 to 18 August 1982(9 on 12 August).Developmental time from egg to adult was ca.5 weeks on R1-R5 stagesoybeans.A SCR 3rd-instar larva was found feeding on soybean rootsin the plots on 29 July 1982. A greenhouse study was conducted during 1983 to compare develop-ment of SCR larvae when reared on cucumber,corn and soybean.Market-more 70 cucumbers(initial bloom stage),DeKalb XL71 corn(stage 2.5- 3.0),and Forrest soybean(V8 and R3 stages)were utilized as host plants.Plants were reared in 36x 30x 14-cm plastic tubs.Soil consisted of a1;1:1 ratio of spagnum peat,Metro Mix⑧,and a sandy loam.Enoughplants were grown in each tub to ensure a fairly uniform root massthroughout the entire soil volume. A randomized block design was used for the experiment(2 blocks,3reps of each treatment per block,1 tub =1 rep.).Each tub was inoculatedwith 50 neona

FAQs

What question does this document investigate about soybean and the southern corn rootworm?

It investigates whether soybean can serve as a larval host so that the SCR can develop from egg to adult, documented in both greenhouse and field settings.

How were SCR adults introduced and emergence monitored in the field?

Gravid SCR females were released into field cages over soybean plots; cages were removed after one week and emergence cups were placed at the soil surface next to each row, then checked weekly for emerged SCR.

Which host crop produced the highest adult emergence in the greenhouse comparison?

Adult emergence was significantly greater in corn than in the other treatments, while larval survival was low across all crops and some beetles emerged from soybean.

Sep 2, 2026

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