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Insect Management for Legumes (Beans, Peas)

Jawwad A. Qureshi, Dakshina Seal, and Susan E. Webb

Many different insects attack leguminous vegetables. Aphids damage terminals, whiteflies feed on sap and transmit bean golden mosaic virus, and caterpillars, like bean leafroller, and beetles feed on leaves. Flower thrips feed in blossoms and stink bugs, corn earworm, and leaffooted bugs damage seeds and pods.

Snap beans are becoming an important crop for Florida. Southern peas (a bean) are typical in north Florida. Many other types of beans are grown on a small scale. Increas- ingly, newer pesticides are being registered for the entire crop group, including legumes such as pigeon pea, yardlong bean, sword bean, and crowder pea. Labels for individual insecticides should be consulted to see if they are labeled for all types of beans.

According to already published guidelines for snap beans (Pernezny et al. 2003), management practices should include scouting twice a week for insect pests in at least one location for every 2.5 acres. More sites should be chosen in small fields (less than 20 acres). A map of the field should be drawn so that pest counts can be connected to a particu- lar section of the field for future reference.

A sample is a 3 ft section of row. Whiteflies can be estimated by turning over several leaves in the section and counting the number of adults. Terminals should be examined for the presence of aphids. A three-by-three-foot cloth is placed on the ground for other pests, and the bean plants are shaken over it. Insects that fall on the cloth can be identified and counted. The growth stage of the plant and an estimate of defoliation should be recorded. Snap beans can tolerate up to 20% defoliation before pod set and 10% after pod set.

A systemic insecticide (a neonicotinoid) should be applied at planting to control aphids and whiteflies. Later in the season, when the effects of the systemic wear off, an insect growth regulator for whiteflies may be applied. Because it is the pod that is sold, damage to this part of the plant is the most serious concern. An insecticide appropriate for the pests present should be applied at pinpod. At least one more application may be needed before harvest.

For the organic grower, a number of OMRI-listed insecti- cides have been listed in the table (see the Notes column).

Figure 1. Cowpea aphid, Aphis craccivora Koch.
Figure 1.  Cowpea aphid, Aphis craccivora Koch.
Credit: John L. Capinera, University of Florida

 

Figure 2. Potato leafhopper, Empoasca fabae.
Figure 2.  Potato leafhopper, Empoasca fabae.
Credit: John L. Capinera, University of Florida

 

Figure 3. American serpentine leafminer, Liriomyza trifolii (Burgess).
Figure 3.  American serpentine leafminer, Liriomyza trifolii (Burgess).
Credit: John L. Capinera, University of Florida

 

Figure 4. Granulate cutworm larva, Feltia subterranea (F.).
Figure 4.  Granulate cutworm larva, Feltia subterranea (F.).
Credit: USDA

 

Figure 5. Southern armyworm larva, Spodoptera eridania (Cramer).
Figure 5.  Southern armyworm larva, Spodoptera eridania (Cramer).
Credit: John L. Capinera, University of Florida

 

Figure 6. Cabbage looper larva.
Figure 6 . Cabbage looper larva. Credit: John L. Capinera, University of Florida 

 

 

Figure 7. Corn earworm adult, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie).
Figure 7.  Corn earworm adult, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie).
Credit: John L. Capinera, University of Florida

 

Figure 8. Corn earworm larva, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie).
Figure 8.  Corn earworm larva, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie).
Credit: USDA

 

Figure 9. Banded cucumber beetle, Diabrotica balteata LeConte.
Figure 9.  Banded cucumber beetle, Diabrotica balteata LeConte.
Credit: John L. Capinera, University of Florida

 

Figure 10. Spotted cucumber beetle, D. undecimpunctata howardi Barber.
Figure 10 . Spotted cucumber beetle, D. undecimpunctata howardi Barber. Credit: John L. Capinera, University of Florida 

 

Figure 11. Leaffooted bug, Leptoglossus phyllopus (L.).
Figure 11.  Leaffooted bug, Leptoglossus phyllopus (L.).
Credit: John L. Capinera, University of Florida

 

Figure 12. Southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula(L.)
Figure 12.  Southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula (L.)
Credit: John L. Capinera, University of Florida

Reference

Pernezny, Ken, Gregg Nuessly, and William Stall. 2003. Integrated pest management for Florida snap beans. PPP37. Gainesville: University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. 8 p. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pp117.

Table 1. Insecticides approved for managing insect pests of beans and peas.

Publication #ENY-465

Date: 8/1/2021

Related Experts

Webb, Susan E

University of Florida

Seal, Dakshina R.

University of Florida

Qureshi, Jawwad A.

University of Florida

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About this Publication

This document is ENY-465, one of a series of the Entomology and Nematology Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date July 2002. Revised September 2007, March 2010, June 2013, February 2017, and July 2020. Visit the EDIS website at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu for the currently supported version of this publication.

About the Authors

Jawwad A. Qureshi, assistant professor, Entomology and Nematology Department, UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center; Dakshina Seal, scientist, Entomology and Nematology Department, UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center; and Susan E. Webb, associate professor, Entomology and Nematology Department; UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611.

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  • Jawwad Qureshi