Robert Koch

Assistant Professor and Extension Entomologist

416 Hodson Hall

1980 Folwell Avenue

219 Hodson Hall

St Paul, MN 55108

+1 612 624 6771

Education

B.A. Biology, St. John’s University, Collegeville, MN, 1999
Ph.D. Entomology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, 2005

Areas of Interest

Extension

Dean's Award for Distinguished Campus-Based Faculty (U of MN Extension)

My extension program focuses on delivery of information on the identification and integrated management of arthropod pests of soybean. The goals are to identify and address the needs of my clientele (i.e., soybean growers, crop consultants, industry and government agency personnel, Extension staff, and other stakeholders). Research-based information is conveyed through presentations, and traditional and electronic media. Soybean Extension Entomology Page

Research

My research program focuses on applied ecology and integrated pest management of arthropods associated with soybean. The goal, in conjunction with my extension program, is to improve the environmental and economic sustainability of soybean production through integrated pest management. The research program is broadly based in integrated pest management, emphasizing scouting (sampling and remote sensing) and evaluation and integration of control tactics (chemical and biological controls and host plant resistance). The program focuses on existing pests of soybean, particularly soybean aphid, and also addresses new threats and challenges to soybean production, such as new invasive species and arthropod resistance to pesticides.

Select Publications

Google Scholar Profile & List of Publications

Recent Publications

Cira, T.M., E.C. Burkness, R.L. Koch and W.D. Hutchison. Halyomorpha halys mortality and sublethal feeding effects following insecticide exposure. Journal of Pest Science 90(x): xx-xx https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10340-017-0871-y (in press)

Koch, R.L., D.T. Pezzini, A.P. Michel and T.E. Hunt. 2017. Identification, biology, impacts and management of stink bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) of soybean and corn in the midwestern United States. Journal of Integrated Pest Management 8(1): 1-14 https://academic.oup.com/jipm/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/jipm/pmx004

Tran, A.K. and R.L. Koch. 2017. Spatial patterns and sequential sampling plans for predators of Aphis glycines (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in Minnesota soybean. Environmental Entomology 46(x): xx-xx. https://academic.oup.com/ee/article/3072226/Spatial-Patterns-and-Sequential-Sampling-Plans-for

Koch, R.L. and A.C. Costamagna. 2017. Reaping benefits from an invasive species: Role of Harmonia axyridis in natural biological control of Aphis glycines in North America. BioControl 62(x): xx-xx. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10526-016-9749-9

Nystrom Santacruz, E., R.C. Venette, C. Dieckhoff, K. Hoelmer and R.L. Koch. 2017. Cold tolerance of Trissolcus japonicus and T. cultratus, potential biological control agents of Halyomorpha halys, the brown marmorated stink bug. Biological Control 107(1): 11-20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2017.01.004

Koch, R.L., B.D. Potter, P.A. Glogoza, E.W. Hodgson, C.H. Krupke, J.F. Tooker, C.D. DiFonzo, A.P. Michel, K.J. Tilmon, T.J. Prochaska, J.J. Knodel, R.J. Wright, T.E. Hunt, B. Jensen, A.J. Varenhorst, B.P. McCornack, K.A. Estes and J.L. Spencer. 2016. Biology and economics of recommendations for insecticide-based management of soybean aphid. Plant Health Progress 17(4): 265-269. http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/PHP-RV-16-0061

Tran, A.K., T.M. Alves and R.L. Koch. 2016. Potential for sulfoxaflor to improve conservation biological control of Aphis glycines (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in soybean. Journal of Economic Entomology 109 (5): 2105-2114. http://jee.oxfordjournals.org/content/109/5/2105

Koch, R.L., W.A. Rich and T. Pahs. 2016. Statewide and season-long surveys for Pentatomidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) of Minnesota wheat. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 109(3): 396-404. http://aesa.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2016/01/19/aesa.sav157

Roy, H.E., P.M.J. Brown, T. Adriaens, N. Berkvens, I. Borges, S. Clusella-Trullas, P. De Clercq, R. Esche, A. Estoup, E.W. Evans, B. Facon, M.M. Gardiner, A. Gi, A. Grez, T. Guillemaud, D. Haelewaters, A. Honek, A.G. Howe, C. Hui, W.D. Hutchison, M. Kenis, R.L. Koch, J. Kulfan, L.L. Handley, E. Lombaert, A. Loomans, J. Losey, A.O. Lukashuk, D. Maes, A. Magro, K.M. Murray, G. San Martin, Z. Martinkova, I. Minnaar, O. Nedved, M.J. Orlova-Bienkowskaja, W. Rabitsch, H. P. Ravn, G. Rondoni, S.L. Rorke, S.K. Ryndevich, M.G. Saethre, A.O. Soares, R. Stals, M.C. Tinsley, A. Vandereycken, P. van Wielink, S. Viglášová, P. Zach, T. Zaviezo and Z. Zhao. 2016. The harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis: global perspectives on invasion history and ecology. Biological Invasions 18(4): 997-1044. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10530-016-1077-6

Koch, R.L., W.A. Rich, B.D. Potter and R.B. Hammond. 2016. Effects on soybean of prophylactic in-furrow application of insecticide and fertilizer in Minnesota and Ohio. Plant Health Progress 17(1): 59-63. http://www.plantmanagementnetwork.org/php/elements/sum2.aspx?id=10892

Rich, W.A. and R.L. Koch. 2016. Effects of Rag1 aphid-resistant soybean on mortality, development and preference of brown marmorated stink bug (Pentatomidae). Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 158(2): 109-117. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/eea.12392/abstract

Hanson, A.A., J.H. Orf and R.L. Koch. 2016. Sources of soybean aphid resistance in early-matiuring soybean germplasm. Crop Science 56(1): 154-163. https://dl.sciencesocieties.org/publications/cs/abstracts/56/1/154

Alves, T.M., I.V. MacRae and R.L. Koch. 2015. Soybean aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) affects soybean spectral reflectance. Journal of Economic Entomology 108(6): 2655–2664. http://jee.oxfordjournals.org/content/108/6/2655

Koch, R.L. and W.A. Rich. 2015. Stink bug (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) feeding and phenology on early-maturing soybean in Minnesota. Journal of Economic Entomology. 108 (5): 2335-2343. http://jee.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2015/07/29/jee.tov218

Koch, R.L., Z. Sezen, P.M. Porter, D.W. Ragsdale, K.A.G. Wyckhuys and G.E. Heimpel. 2015. On-farm evaluation of a fall-seeded rye cover crop for suppression of soybean aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on soybean. Agricultural and Forest Entomology 17(2): 239-246. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/afe.12099/abstract

Pezzini, D.T. and R.L. Koch. 2015. Compatibility of flonicamid and a formulated mixture of pyrethrins and azadirachtin with predators for soybean aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) management. Biocontrol Science and Technology 25(9): 1024-1035. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09583157.2015.1027659

Koch, R.L. and T. Pahs. 2015. Species composition and abundance of stink bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) in Minnesota field corn. Environmental Entomology 44(2): 233-238. http://ee.oxfordjournals.org/content/44/2/233

Koch, R.L., D.A. Rider, P.P. Tinerella and W.A. Rich. 2014. Stink bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) of Minnesota: An annotated checklist and new state records. The Great Lakes Entomologist 47(3&4): 171-185. http://www.michentsoc.org/gle-pdfs/vol47no3-4.pdf

Lombaert, E., T. Guillemaud, J. Lundgren, R. Koch, B. Facon, A. Grez, A. Loomans, T. Malausa, O. Nedved, E. Rhule, A. Staverlokk, T. Steenberg, A. Estoup. 2014. Complementarity of statistical treatments to reconstruct worldwide routes of invasion: The case of the Asian ladybird, Harmonia axyridis. Molecular Ecology 23(24): 5979-5997. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mec.12989/abstract

Koch, R.L. 2014. Detections of the brown marmorated stink bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in Minnesota. Journal of Entomological Science 49(3): 313-317. http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.18474/0749-8004-49.3.313

Koch, R.L. and T. Pahs. 2014. Species composition, abundance, and seasonal dynamics of stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in Minnesota soybean fields. Environmental Entomology 43(4): 883-888. http://ee.oxfordjournals.org/content/43/4/883

Students Advised

Current:
Anthony Hanson, PhD student
Zach Marston, MS student (co-advised by MacRae)
Daniela Pezzini, MS student

Obiratanea da Silva Queiroz, MS student (starting Jan. 2017)

Past:
Tavvs Alves, PhD (co-advised by MacRae) (2016)
Anh Tran, MS (2016)
Erica Nystrom, MS (co-advised by Venette) (2016)