Damage by the green-belly stink bug to corn

Paulo Henrique Ramos Fernandes,Ivana Fernandes Da Silva,Daniele Zulin,Crébio José Ávila

doi:10.1590/s1678-3921.pab2020.v55.01131

Paulo Henrique Ramos Fernandes, Ivana Fernandes Da Silva + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/s1678-3921.pab2020.v55.01131

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Abstract

Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the potential damage of the green-belly stink bug, Dichelops melacanthus, to corn in greenhouse and field conditions. Three trials were carried out. In the greenhouse, corn plants in the V1 stage were evaluated after each of them was infested with one insect in four developmental stages (nymphs of the third, fourth, and fifth instars and adults) during 14 days. In the field, corn plants in four developmental stages (V1, V3, V5, and V7) were infested inside cages with five adult stink bugs, also during 14 days. In another trial in the greenhouse, the same treatments of the field trial were conducted during 14 days, but with an infestation intensity of one bug per plant per pot. The control treatment was without infestation. In all trials, damage scores were attributed to the corn plants and the dry matter of the aerial part of the plants was determined. In the field, stem diameter and grain yield were also evaluated. Third-instar nymphs do not cause significant changes in the dry weight of the aerial part of the plant and in the damage scores, compared with the control treatment. Infestations by adult stink bugs cause more damage to corn plants in the V1 and V3 stages, both in field and greenhouse conditions.

Highlights

The population increase of phytophagous stink bugs has caused frequent damages to the corn (Zea mays L.) crop
The green-belly stink bugs (Dichelops spp.), which usually attack in the early stages of crop development (Roza-Gomes et al, 2011), are considered the main pests associated with corn in the Brazilian Cerrado (Chocorosqui&Panizzi,2004),amongwhich Dichelops melacanthus (Dallas, 1851) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) stands out as the main species (Brustolin et al, 2017)
In the first trial in the greenhouse, the corn plants infested in the V1 vegetative stage with fourth- and fifth-instar nymphs of the stink bug showed similar damage to those infested with adults

Summary

Introduction

The population increase of phytophagous stink bugs has caused frequent damages to the corn (Zea mays L.) crop. The damage by the D. melacanthus stink bug to corn plants occurs when the insect feeds near the collar of the seedlings, penetrating into the plant with their buccal stylet and secreting toxic saliva, which causes the rupture of cells inside the plant tissue (Panizzi & Lucini, 2019). These salivary secretions result in typical injuries as the corn leaves develop, causing necrosis and yellowing, leaf deformation, or even corn plant tillering (Roza-Gomes et al, 2011; Cruz et al, 2016)

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