The Source of -Mediated Resistance to Soybean Aphids Is Located in the Stem.

The soybean aphid () continues to threaten soybean production in the United States. A suite of management strategies, such as planting aphid-resistant cultivars, has been successful in controlling soybean aphids. Several genes (resistance against ) have been identified, and two are currently being deployed in commercial soybean cultivars.

Location, location, location: Feeding site affects aphid performance by altering access and quality of nutrients.

Aphid feeding behavior and performance on a given host plant are influenced by the plants' physical and chemical traits, including structural characters such as trichomes and nutritional composition. In this study, we determined the feeding behavior and performance of soybean aphids (Aphis glycines) on the stem, the adaxial (upper), and the abaxial (lower) leaf surfaces during early vegetative growth of soybean plants. Using the electrical penetration graph technique, we found that aphids feeding on the stem took the longest time to begin probing.