1st Place: Reproductive potential of soybean gall midge

The soybean gall midge, Resseliella maxima Gagné, is an emerging pest of soybean in the Midwest. It was identified as a new species in 2019, and as of 2021 its known range includes 140 counties across five states. The midge infests stems of soybean, causing injury which leads to lodging and death of plants, along with substantial yield loss. Impacts are heaviest at field edges, where losses of up to 92% have been estimated in the first 30 meters of impacted fields. Information about the biology and management of R. maxima are in high demand considering soybean’s economic importance and the losses this pest can cause. However, due to its status as such a new pest, there are considerable knowledge gaps surrounding much of its biology. In order to better understand R. maxima biology and its risk to soybean in the region, it is important to study its reproductive potential. To that end, we present initial research on R. maxima reproductive potential centered around egg load and the correlation between egg load and other physical characteristics of adult females collected across the season.