Estimating soybean defoliation

Abstract

<p>Estimating the amount of defoliation in soybean caused by insects can be a frustrating, and very inexact, process. I find that many field scouts typically overestimate leaf injury, which leads to unnecessary insecticide applications. Leon Higley, editor of the <a href="http://www.entsoc.org/Pubs/Books/Handbooks/soy.htm">Handbook of Soybean Insect Pests</a>, writes, "Unlike many crop species, soybean has a remarkable capacity to withstand much insect injury without significant yield loss. It accomplishes this by both tolerating and compensating for injury.</p>