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Stink bugs are pests of economic importance of extensive crops (commodities) in the Neotropics, particularly in Southern South America. They are abundant, have a broad geographical distribution, and cause severe damage. Main species include the Neotropical brown-stink bug, Euschistus heros (F.), the red-banded stink bug, Piezodorus guildinii (Westwood), the Southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula (L.), the green-belly stink bugs, Dichelops furcatus (F.), and D. melacanthus (Dallas), and the brown-winged stink bug, Edessa meditabunda (F.). The management of these pest species on crops is complex because they can cause economic damage in low numbers, and it is difficult to control by the commonly used insecticides. Therefore, biological control appears as the most important tactic to be implemented in stink bug management programs. Among the many natural enemies present on the various agroecosystems, egg parasitoids (Hymenoptera) and parasitoids of adult stink bugs (Diptera and Hymenoptera) are the most promising groups to be exploited as biological control agents of pest species. Despite attempts in the past, implementation of biological control of stink bugs on major commodities in Southern South America still remains at a low level of adoption, and its high potential is, generally, underestimated. In this review article, we present extensive data from the literature on the two main groups of biological control agents referred above. Moreover, we discuss ways to promote biological control as the most important tactic to manage stink bugs in Southern South America.

Performance of nymphs and adults of Piezodorus guildinii (Westwood) feeding on different cultivated legumes was studied under controlled laboratory conditions (25 ± 1°C, 80 ± 10% RH, 14 h of photophase) on soybean immature pod (SIP; R5.5-R6), birdsfoot trefoil immature pod (BTIP), alfalfa immature pod (AIP), and red clover flower with immature seeds (RCF). Food had significant effects on the life history of P. guildinii. The major differences in nymph survivorship were observed at second and third instars, with similar survivorship on SIP and AIP as hosts and higher than that recorded on BTIP and RCF. Total nymph mortality was much greater on BTIP (87.6%) than on SIP (32.6%) and AIP (54.2%); all nymphs died on RCF. Food did not affect nymph development time (about 20 days). Adult longevity was highest and lowest on AIP and RCF (62 and 32 days), respectively. Percentage of ovipositing females was highest (≈ 80%) on SIP and AIP, and intermediate on BTIP (52.2%); no females reproduced on RCF. Fecundity on SIP and AIP was similar (≈ 9 egg masses/female; and ≈ 141 eggs/female) and twice as higher than on BTIP (4.1 egg masses/female; and 60.2 eggs/female). Egg fertility (58%) did not vary with food sources. Adults fed on SIP and AIP gained weight during 43 days, remained unaltered on BTIP, and decreased on RCF. Data obtained indicated that SIP and AIP are suitable food sources, and emphasize the importance of alfalfa as a host plant of P. guildinii in Uruguay.

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