Brown marmorated stink bug threatens soybean productivity

The attack of stink bugs represents one of the main challenges for soybean productivity in Brazil, with the potential to compromise up to 30% of the production when control is not efficient. Among the species that form the complex of stink bugs, the brown stink bug stands out as the most aggressive pest, with a wide presence in crops and high economic impact, affecting tens of millions of tons of the grain each harvest. Estimates from national agricultural research indicate that the losses caused by stink bugs in the last soybean harvest reached around R$ 12 billion. The insects feed by puncturing plant structures, removing essential nutrients, weakening pods and branches, and releasing toxins that compromise the development of the crop and the quality of the grains. Failures in management can result in significant losses and penalties in marketing. “We are talking about more than 50 million tons of soybeans that suffer from the presence of this enemy,” explains Luiz Henrique ...