Stink Bugs and Aphids in Row Crops


We are at the time of the growing season where our primary insect pest is stink bugs. This is the case in sorghum, cotton and soybeans. While each crop has its own species causing damage, the fields are important to scout to identify the pests causing potential yield and quality losses.

In grain sorghum, many fields are being harvested but there are some fields that are still susceptible to stink bug injury. The primary stink bug of concern in sorghum is the rice stink bug. 

The economic threshold for stink bugs in sorghum changes as the crop matures; becoming less susceptible as it approaches hard dough as depicted on the graph below.  For detailed information on the economic thresholds of stink bugs in grain sorghum, look HERE.

We are also finding sorghum aphids (AKA sugarcane aphids) in a number of fields in Refugio County. Check these fields to prevent harvest issues from the honeydew produced by the aphids.


Cotton is also susceptible to stink bug damage from early bloom until 400 heat units (HU) past cutout, or 5 nodes above white flower (NAWF). Most of our crop is in bloom, with maturities ranging from cutout to the first few weeks of bloom. 

In cotton, the primary stink bugs are the green, southern green and brown stink bugs. As the period of bloom progresses, the economic threshold changes, with the most sensitive period being the 3rd to 5th weeks of bloom. 




Soybeans can be very heavily damaged by stink bugs through the R7 stage. The common stink bugs in soybeans include those in cotton and the red banded stink bug.

The red banded stink bug is significantly more damaging to soybeans than the other species of stink bugs and the economic thresholds should be adjusted as such.

Treat fields when green and brown stink bug numbers exceed 36 / 100 sweeps or 1 per foot of row. For red banded stink bugs, cut the treatment threshold to 12 / 100 sweeps or 1 per 3 feet of row.

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