Crop Residue and Residue Management Effects on Armadillidium Vulgare (Isopoda: Armadillidiidae) Populations and Soybean Stand Densities
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CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Provided by K-State Research Exchange FIELD AND FORAGE CROPS Crop Residue and Residue Management Effects on Armadillidium vulgare (Isopoda: Armadillidiidae) Populations and Soybean Stand Densities 1 W. A. JOHNSON, S. ALFARESS, R. J. WHITWORTH, AND B. P. MCCORNACK Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, 123 W. Waters Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506 J. Econ. Entomol. 105(5): 1629Ð1639 (2012); DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1603/EC12040 ABSTRACT In general, Armadillidium vulgare (Latreille) are considered nonpests of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill], but changes in soil conservation practices have shifted the pest status of this organism from an opportunistic to a perennial, early-season pest in parts of central Kansas. As a result, soybean producers that rotate with corn (Zea mays L.) under conservation tillage practices have resorted to removing excess corn residue by using controlled burns. In a 2-yr Þeld study (2009Ð2010), we demonstrated that residue removal in burned compared with unburned plots (measured as previous crop residue weights) had minimal impact on numbers of live and dead A. vulgare, soybean seedling emergence, and isopod feeding damage over time. SpeciÞcally, removal of residue by burning did not result in higher emergence rates for soybean stands or less feeding damage by A. vulgare.In a separate study, we found that number of live A. vulgare and residue weights had no consistent relationship with seedling emergence or feeding damage. Furthermore, seedling emergence was not impacted by higher numbers of A. vulgare in unburned plots, indicating that emergence in this study may have been inßuenced by factors other than A. vulgare densities. These studies demonstrate that removing residue through controlled burning did not impact seedling emergence in presence of A. vulgare and that residue and feeding damage to seedlings did not consistently relate to A. vulgare densities. Other factors that may have inßuenced a relationship between residue and live isopod numbers, such as variable moisture levels, are discussed. KEY WORDS soybean, Glycine max, isopod, Armadillidium vulgare, residue management The beneÞts of reduced or conservation tillage man- considered key perennial pests) may become prob- agement in cropping systems include enhanced re- lematic under conservation tillage systems. tention of soil moisture, increased soil structure sta- Terrestrial isopods (Crustacea: Isopoda) are soil- bility, and reduced input costs for producers dwelling arthropods that generally feed on decaying (Gebhardt et al. 1985, NeSmith et al. 1986). In no-till organic matter (Saska 2008), but also are reported to soybean production, the presence of crop residue im- damage a number of agriculturally important crops, proves soil properties and reduces producer input including alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), cereals, soybean costs (Doran et al. 1984). Presence of residue also [Glycine max (L.) Merrill], and canola (Byers and reduces soil erosion, although increasing the inÞltra- Bierlein 1984, Paoletti et al. 2008). In particular, the tion and retention of soil moisture (Bruce and Kells isopod species Armadillidium vulgare (Latreille) has 1990, Tebruegge and Duering 1999, Saxton et al. 2001). been found feeding on soybean, seeds and seedlings, Moreover, residues increase soil organic matter, causing a reduction in stand densities (Faberi et al. which is correlated with beneÞcial microbial activities 2011). Damage to soybean seedlings occurs just after of soil-inhabiting organisms (Cruse et al. 2003, Mar- emergence where A. vulgare feed on the succulent riott and Wander 2006, Teasdale 2007). However, stem tissue (hypocotyl) beneath the cotyledons of there may be potential risks associated with adopting emerging soybean seedlings, which severs the coty- conservation tillage practices like increased incidence ledons from the developing seedling and results in of pests. For example, the undisturbed soil proÞle may plant death (Whitworth et al. 2008). Under heavy be an optimal environment for increasing populations isopod pressure, producers usually replant damaged of soil-inhabiting pests (Stinner and House 1990). Spe- Þelds to establish harvestable soybean stands. Gener- ciÞcally, soil-borne secondary pests (i.e., those not ally, A. vulgare are considered nonpests of soybean; however, changes in production practices may be en- abling a shift from an opportunistic pest to a perennial, 1 Corresponding author: Brian P. McCornack, Department of En- tomology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506 (e-mail: early-season pest (Wallner 1987). Recently, damaging [email protected]). populations of early-season A. vulgare have been ob- 0022-0493/12/1629Ð1639$04.00/0 ᭧ 2012 Entomological Society of America 1630 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY Vol. 105, no. 5 served in soybean Þelds in central Kansas, which typ- in soybean but the overall effectiveness of burning, as ically are managed with conservation tillage practices. a way to manage isopods, is not known. As such, soil conservation practices may be providing Soybean producers lack management options to optimal conditions for development and reproduction maintain soybean stands in the presence of damaging of isopods (Saluso 2004, Mastronardi 2006). isopod densities. To avoid the added cost of replanting Risk of seedling feeding damage can be increased (seed, fuel, and time), reliable management options with the presence of crop residues, which provides an for A. vulgare in soybean must be explored. For the ideal habitat for isopod development (Paris 1963). growing number of soybean producers that use con- Presence of residues on the soil surface serves as a food servation tillage practices with increased population source for isopods, which generally are considered densities of ground-dwelling arthropods, including A. decomposers of organic material (Rushton 1981, vulgare (Stinner and House 1990), there is a need to Rushton and Hassall 1983, Brody and Lawlor 1984, measure the impact of residue management strategies Morisawa et al. 2002). Moreover, residues provide on isopod numbers and resulting soybean plant den- shelter and protection from extreme ßuctuations in sities. SpeciÞcally, it would be useful to determine if ambient temperature and humidity (Davis 1984, Has- removal of corn residue reduces feeding damage to sell and DangerÞeld 1990), which isopods are highly soybeans by directly reducing isopod populations. susceptible to (Al-Dabbagh and Block 1981, Brody and It is important to determine if A. vulgare population Lawlor 1984, ReÞnetti 1984). It is thought that isopods levels relate to changes in Þeld residue levels. We are not generally problematic in conventional-tilled conducted two studies to test the hypothesis that ex- Þelds, which retain minimal amounts of organic matter isting amounts of residue are correlated with greater on the soil surface. Rushton and Hassall (1987) re- A. vulgare densities and higher levels of feeding dam- ported that populations of A. vulgare exposed to de- age to soybean seedling, whereas lower amounts of creasing amounts of organic matter tended to increase residue will result in reduced A. vulgare densities and feeding competition within populations, although de- less feeding damage. From a management perspective, clining in overall isopod numbers. As such, presence is also important to determine if population densities of corn residues in soybean Þelds may be inßuencing and damage severity to soybean plant populations isopod population densities, thus increasing feeding correlate with the amount of residue present, which damage to soybean seedlings; the extent of this inter- can vary by Þeld or even by climatic conditions. In action is not known. separate study we sampled A. vulgare populations sev- Rotating successive crops of soybean and corn (Zea eral times during the early growing season where mays L.) under conversation tillage management has soybean plants are most susceptible to damage (2Ð4 become a widespread practice in Kansas and other wk after planting) to determine how much popula- parts of the north central United States. A component tions were changing during this time. We hypothe- of such systems is the management of crop residue left sized that lower residue levels along with lower early- in Þelds between rotations. An important requirement season isopod densities will positively impact seedling for residue management is maintaining sufÞcient res- emergence and reduce feeding damage throughout idue levels from previous crops, which are designed to the early growing season (emergence period). limit soil erosion, although allowing maximum seed- Although it is unclear whether increases in conser- ling emergence for the next crop (Buchholz et al. vation management of soybean production systems 1993). In general, 60Ð70% ground cover from crop are increasing the risk of damage from A. vulgare, residue is desired, but also depends on crop and soil control methods are sought to maintain stands in the type (Buchholz et al. 1993). In some cases, excessive presence of isopod feeding in Þelds with a history of residues are removed either mechanically or by con- damage. Therefore, the objectives of this study were trolled burning, a common practice in conservation to 1) quantify the direct effects of residue removal cropping systems of the northern Great Plains (Fas- through burning on early-season A. vulgare popula- ching 2001). Consequently, burning crop residue also tions and soybean