A University of Missouri entomologist says gall midge is in at least two Missouri counties.
Kevin Rice tells Brownfield the small fly-like insect can be devastating to soybean fields.
“The first 100 feet of soybean [field] edges, you can experience 100 percent yield loss,” he said. “And then up to 20 percent yield loss up to 400 feet into the field.”
While the insect’s origin is unknown, he says it was found in Atchison country last year and has spread to Holt country this year and will likely continue to spread.
