Effects of feeding injury from Popillia japonica (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) on soybean spectral reflectance and yield

Remote sensing has been shown to be a promising technology for the detection and monitoring of plant stresses including insect feeding. Popillia japonica Newman, is an invasive species in United States, pest concern soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr., upper Midwest. To investigate effects P. feeding injury (i.e., defoliation) on soybean canopy spectral reflectance yield, field trials with plots caged plants were established during summers 2020 2021. In each year, field-collected adults released into some plots, creating gradient infestation levels resulting injury. Estimates caused by , ground-based hyperspectral readings, total yield components obtained from plots. Injury was greatest infested . Overall mean across lower, middle, canopy) ranged 0.23 6.26%, which representative observed fields Midwest States. Feeding tended reduce measures near infra-red wavelengths (~700 1000 nm). These results indicate that remote potential could facilitate scouting this pest. Effects not observed, but reduction seed size detected one two years. The threat posed alone appears minimal, adds guild other defoliating insects whose combined threaten yield. research will guide refinement management recommendations hold relevance cropping systems.