Soybean production throughout much of the US is threatened by a complex of pod-attacking stink bugs that reduce seed yield, compromise quality, diminish profit, and threaten the environment. For many of the common species such as southern green stink bug, green stink bug, and brown stink bug, research has provided some insight into their biology and the specific plant symptoms left behind. Effective management strategies have been used to reduce the impact of these pests; however, infestations are often too severe and control measures fail to prevent substantial economic losses.
Recently, a complex of stink bugs and associated species including brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), redbanded stink bug, and kudzu bug (bean plataspid) have emerged as new yield-limiting pests in US soybean. In contrast to the established stink bug species, little information is currently available to provide a basis for effective management strategies for these three new pests. Unless novel management options are identified very quickly, entomologists predict that these three insects will cause significant injury to soybean and reduce crop value across many soybean production regions. In late March 2011, a group of soybean entomologists and breeders from eleven soybean producing states convened in Atlanta, GA, to prioritize stink-bug-related management issues that must be solved if US soybean production is to remain economically viable in these regions.
The Strategic Plan that resulted from this meeting is available here.