title: Can Row Spacing Influence Arthropod Communities in Soybean? Implications for Early and Late Planting.
abstract: Row spacing in agricultural systems can influence crop yield as well as pest and predator abundances. Soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill) growers in Maryland typically plant in narrow (∼19 cm), medium (∼38 cm), or wide (∼76 cm)-spaced rows, and there is a general lack of information on how these row-spacing schemes influence arthropod abundance and soybean yields. A study was conducted during two growing seasons to determine the effect of soybean row spacing and planting date (early and late) on soybean arthropods and yield. Despite a great deal of variation in arthropod responses to row spacing, and interactions between row spacing and study year, leaf-feeding herbivores were generally more abundant in narrow-spaced soybeans. All arthropod functional groups were more abundant, and yield was greater in early-planted soybeans relative to late-planted soybeans. Potential causes and implications of these finding are discussed.
authors: Corresponding author, e-mail: alynnbuchanan@gmail.com.
authors: Amanda L
authors: AL
authors: Buchanan
authors: University of Maryland Department of Entomology, 4112 Plant Sciences Building, College Park, MD, 20742.Corresponding author, e-mail: alynnbuchanan@gmail.com.
authors: Emily
authors: E
authors: Zobel
authors: University of Maryland Department of Entomology, 4112 Plant Sciences Building, College Park, MD, 20742.Corresponding author, e-mail: alynnbuchanan@gmail.com.
authors: Jermaine
authors: J
authors: Hinds
authors: University of Maryland Department of Entomology, 4112 Plant Sciences Building, College Park, MD, 20742.Corresponding author, e-mail: alynnbuchanan@gmail.com.
authors: Armando
authors: A
authors: Rosario-Lebron
authors: University of Maryland Department of Entomology, 4112 Plant Sciences Building, College Park, MD, 20742.Corresponding author, e-mail: alynnbuchanan@gmail.com.
authors: Cerruti R R
authors: CR
authors: Hooks
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001181:Arthropods; D000069599:Crop Production; D060434:Herbivory; D008396:Maryland; D018515:Plant Leaves; D012621:Seasons; D013025:Glycine max
keywords: Glycine max; crop pests; row spacing; soybeans