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Spatial Associations of Key Lepidopteran Pests With Defoliation, NDVI, and Plant Height in Soybean

Abstract In soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merrill, production, losses to, and control costs for insect pests can be significant limiting factors. Although the heterogeneity of pests has typically been ignored in traditional field management practices, technological advancements have allowed for site-specific pest management systems to be developed for the precise control of pests within a field. In this study, we chose to determine how the in-field distributions of the larvae of three major lepidopteran pests [velvetbean caterpillar Anticarsia gemmatalis (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), soybean looper Chrysodeixis includens (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), and green cloverworm Hypena scabra (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) (Fabricius)] were spatially associated with defoliation, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and plant height in soybean. Spatial analysis by distance indices (SADIE) of data from two South Carolina soybean fields in 2017 and 2018 revealed a limited number of spatial aggregations for insect datasets. However, 14% and 6% of paired plant–insect datasets were significantly associated or dissociated, respectively. NDVI was found to be more associated with pest distributions than soybean plant heights and defoliation estimates, and the majority of all plant–insect associations and dissociations occurred in the first 4 wk of sampling (late July–early August). If changes are to be implemented regarding how a pest is managed, critical factors explaining the spatial distribution of pests must be identified. Results from this study advocate for the relationship between early-season distributions of pests and important plant variables such as NDVI to be further investigated to better determine the strength of the correlations across years and sites.