Since its first detection feeding on soybean in the United States in 2021, we have been keeping a close eye on this potential new pest, which now has an official common name: the “soybean tentiform leafminer”. The soybean tentiform leafminer (Macrosaccus morrisella) is a tiny moth native to North America where it has been known to feed on two native plants: American hog peanut and slickseed fuzzybean. However, it has recently developed the ability to feed on and infest soybean. Survey efforts have expanded to determine how widespread are the infestations of this insect in soybean.
In 2021, soybean tentiform leafminer was detected in the Twin Cities Metro Area, in Ramsey and Dakota counties. In the following year, we received 12 new reports extending from the Twin Cities Metro Area to southeast South Dakota. These new reports raised concerns about the actual geographical distribution of this pest in soybean.
Therefore, a wider survey was conducted during the summer of 2023 with collaborations between the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and North Dakota State University. In 2023, soybean tentiform leafminer was found in 77 fields across 44 counties in Minnesota and North Dakota. From 2021 to 2023, soybean tentiform leafminer has been detected in 51 counties in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.
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Photo Credit: gettyimages-zoran-zeremski
Categories: Minnesota, Crops, Soybeans