The differential effects of pulsating drought and insect herbivory on soybean (Glycine max)

Soybean (Glycine Max) is one of the most important crops in the world due to its various roles in food and feed production. One of the major limiting factors for soybeans is drought- which can cause up to an 80% reduction in yield. As a result of climate change- global temperatures are increasing and water scarcity is on the rise and so growers are turning to soybean accessions that demonstrate better water use efficiency (WUE). However, drought is not the only stress that soybeans encounter in the field. The Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda, FAW), and Soybean Looper (Chrysodeixis includens, SBL) are two herbivores that can significantly reduce soybean yield. Using soybean accessions that differ in their wilting speed, we examined the relationship between WUE and insect resistance traits and how they affect both pest and host plant growth and development. Our preliminary data suggests that soybean accessions with different levels of WUE are differentially impacted by the combination of herbivore induced stress and pulsating drought. More experiments are currently underway to understand how these effects vary under drought and their consequences for soybean yield and fitness.