Applied research to investigate and develop control measures against stink bugs (Pentatomidae, Halyomorpha halys) for fruit growing practice (SOS-PENTA) (SOS-PENTA)

By feeding on fruits with their stinging-sucking mouth parts, stink bugs (Pentatomidae) have been causing increasingly serious quality problems in pome fruit cultivation in Belgium in recent years. More than 50% production losses due to stink bug damage were found on a number of organic pear orchards, and IPM orchards are also suffering more and more damage from stink bugs, with up to 100% of fruit damage in a number of orchards in the edge rows. Moreover, there is the real threat of the Asian brown marmorated stink bug Halyomorpha halys, which is already causing many problems in southern Europe and recently in our neighboring countries France and Germany. This pest insect has quickly become one of the most important pests in pome fruit. This is a major challenge for Flemish pome fruit growers, where there is currently a lack of knowledge and tools for reliable long-term control of stink bugs.

General purpose and concrete objectives:

The main objective of this project is to develop biological and integrated control strategies against stink bugs so that the Flemish pome fruit growers can manage this emerging serious pest in a sustainable way.

We want to achieve this by achieving the following objectives:

(1) Development of baits and trapping methods to effectively monitor and capture stink bugs

(2) Identification of the main natural enemies of stink bugs in our fruit regions

(3) Mapping the diet of stink bugs inside pome fruit orchards and in their close surroundings

(4) Development of control measures against stink bugs and field validation through field trials

(5) Knowledge transfer and demonstration of project results

The innovation goal of this project was to develop biological and integrated control strategies against stink bugs to enable Flemish pome fruit growers to manage this emerging serious pest in a sustainable manner.

This was largely achieved through the realisation of the following concrete objectives:

(1) Development of baiting and trapping methods to effectively monitor and trap stink bugs.

In particular, for the invasive Asian stink bug Halyomorpha halys. Based on our applied research experiences, concrete recommendations for the monitoring of stink bugs were developed and made available to fruit growers.

(2) Identification of key natural enemies of stink bugs in our fruit region

In this project, important natural enemies for stink bugs in the (field) conditions of Flemish fruit-growing were detected, namely, on the one hand, the egg parasitoids Trissolcus cultratus, Telenomus truncatus (=a little-studied holarctic parasitic wasp species, observed for the first time in Belgium) and Trissolcus basalis (=a known egg parasitoid for stink bugs, observed for the first time in Belgium). On the other hand, lacewings were also identified as efficient predators of (especially the young nymphal stages of) stink bugs.

(3) Mapping the diet of stink bugs in and around pome fruit orchards

This was mapped through molecular analyses of the stomach contents of sampled stink bugs in and around pome fruit orchards. Besides apple and pear, much DNA of cherry, rowan, maple and oak, among others, was also recovered. The presence of plants like Viburnum lantana and Rhamnus frangula should also be avoided in the mixed hedges around fruit orchards. Based on the knowledge, the technical sheets "Mixed hedges for pear", "Mixed hedges for apple" and "Mixed hedges for cherry/plum" were therefore specifically adapted and made available through the communication channels of pcfruit vzw.

(4) Establishing management measures against stink bugs

Based on the knowledge acquired in this project, adapted management measures were drawn up. These are based on the one hand on the optimal (model-driven) timing of specific (physical) plant protection products on sensitive life stages, and on the other hand on avoiding undesired side-effects of plant protection products against important natural enemies (and thus promoting natural enemies). Furthermore, practical recommendations were also developed for efficient monitoring of the invasive H. halys stink bug, and avoiding important food sources in the immediate vicinity of fruit plots (in order to prevent the build-up of stink bug populations).

(5) Knowledge transfer and demonstration of project results

Numerous knowledge transfer activities were realised as part of this LA project (a total of 66 presentations (both for (fruit) sector and scientific) and 15 publications)