Research Projects

ABSTRACT

The brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys (Stål, 1855); [Hemiptera, Pentatomidae]) is an invasive, alien and polyphagous insect species native to East Asia. It was introduced to the United States in the mid-1990s and to Europe in 2004. Today it is present in most European countries. In new environments, it adapts quickly and reproduces successfully, developing at least one complete generation per year. With the growth of populations, it is becoming a disturbing factor in the urban areas and recently one of the most dangerous pests in agricultural production. It was first discovered in Slovenia in 2017 in Šempeter near Gorica. In less than two years, it spread to the entire territory od Slovenia and began to cause damage to agricultural production. The aim of the project is to investigate the bionomics of the brown marmorated stink bug in local conditions, which is a prerequisite for planning measures for the inhabitants of settlements and preventing damage to agricultural production. The brown marmorated stink bug is a pest against which only two chemical insecticides are currently registered in Slovenia. Therefore, it is necessary to find an alternative that will be effective and at the same time insect specific and environmentally friendly.

The aim of the project is to develop and test various chemical and non-chemical methods of pest control on agricultural plants with emphasis on the study of low-risk methods (attract and kill method using attractants and special bug vacuum; use of attractive and trapping crops, use of essential oils as repellents, use of biotic agents [entomopathogenic nematodes and fungi as well as protein toxins from fungi], the use of insect nets) and to find optimal combinations of measures to prevent damage in agricultural production. In the proposed CRP project, we want to examine the occurrence and distribution of native parasitoids. The results of the research on native egg parasitoids of the brown marmorated stink bug will contribute to a better knowledge on the native beneficial fauna and its response to introduction and settlement of a new alien species. Based on the results obtained as part of the CRP project, we want to plan measures for residents in the urban areas and for growers of agricultural plants, as well as the preparation of information materials and expert reccomendations for pest control. Knowledge transfer will take place on several levels; organization of workshops for agricultural advisers, publication of results in professional and scientific journals, newspapers, on TV, radio, social networks and publications on the partnership's and project website.

THE PHASES OF THE PROJECT AND THEIR REALIZATION

WP1: Studing the bionimics of  brown marmorated stink bug in Slovenian conditions with the aim of knowing the development and advising measures for the prevention of damage in agricultural production and measures for living in settlements

• January 2021 to March 2021: purchase of pheromone baits, planning of pheromone baits at various locations in Slovenia (agricultural and urban areas) (IAF NG, UL, UM, AIS, SIHRB)
• April 2021 to November 2021: weekly monitoring of catches of brown marmorated stink bug in set pheromone baits and assessment of damage to selected plant species (IAF NG, UL, UM, AIS, SIHRB)
• December 2021 to February 2022: data analysis for 2021 (IAF NG, UL, UM, AIS, SIHRB)
• March 2022: purchase of pheromone baits, planning of pheromone baits at various locations in Slovenia (agricultural and urban areas) (IAF NG, UL, UM, AIS, SIHRB)
• April 2022 to November 2022: weekly monitoring of catches of brown marmorated stink bug in set pheromone baits and assessment of damage to selected plant species (IAF NG, UL, UM, AIS, SIHRB)
• December 2022 to February 2023: data analysis for 2022 (IAF NG, UL, UM, AIS, SIHRB)

WP2: Efficacy prevention method for monitoring the presence of brown marmorated stink bug on agricultural plants and alternative host plants in the vicinity of agricultural land, determining the size of its populations and determining damage in agricultural production

• January 2021 to March 2021: purchase of material and preparation of baits with attractants (UL); planning of using various pheromone baits and baits with attractants at different locations in Slovenia (agricultural and urban areas) (IAF NG, UL, UM, AIS, SIHRB)
• April 2021 to November 2021: weekly monitoring of catches of brown marmorated stink bug in set pheromones in attractant baits and assessment of damage to selected plant species (IAF NG, UL, UM, AIS, SIHRB); performing laboratory experiments to study the chemotaxis of brown marmorated stink bug to selected attractants and repellents (UL)
• December 2021 to February 2022: data analysis for 2021 (IAF NG, UL, UM, AIS, SIHRB)
• March 2022: purchase of material for conducting experiments in 2022, planning the installation of baits with pheromones and attractants at various locations in Slovenia (agricultural and urban areas) (IAF NG, UL, UM, AIS, SIHRB)
• April 2022 to November 2022: weekly monitoring of catches of brown marmorated stink bug in set pheromones in attractant baits and assessment of damage to selected plant species (IAF NG, UL, UM, AIS, SIHRB) 

WP3: Developing and testing various chemical and non-chemical pest control methods in agricultural production with an emphasis on the study of low-risk methods, including insect nets and biological control with parasitoid; find optimal combinations of measures to prevent damage to agricultural production

• January 2021 to March 2021: preparation of a review scientific article, which will later serve as a basis for the preparation of technological instructions (UL); purchase of material for conducting experiments and their planning at various locations in Slovenia (agricultural and urban areas) (IAF NG, UL, UM, AIS, ULM) 
• April 2021 to November 2021: conducting experiments (anti-insect nets, attract and kill, attractive plants, essential oils, biological control) (IAF NG, UL); monitoring of egg parasitoids of brown marmorated stink bug in Slovenia (IAF NG, UL, UM, AIS, SIHRB); carrying out insecticide experiments in orchards at the UM site to determine the level of effectiveness of various preparations and spraying programs (UM)
• November 2020 to October 2021: establishment of permanent breeding of nymphs and adult specimens of H. halys under controlled conditions (AIS)
• November 2021 to October 2022: introduction and implementation of biological testing based on a mixture of artificially synthesized and plant foods with the addition of new proteins to determine their toxicity (AIS)
• December 2021 to February 2022: data analysis for the year 2021 (IAF NG, UL, UM, AIS, IAF M)
• March 2022: purchase of materials for conducting experiments and their planning at various locations in Slovenia (agricultural and urban areas) (IAF NG, UL, UM, AIS, IAF M)
• April 2022 to November 2022: implementation of experiments (anti-insect nets, attract and kill, attractive plants, essential oils, biotic agents) (IAF NG, UL); monitoring of egg parasitoids of brown marmorated stink bug in Slovenia (IAF NG, UL, UM, AIS, IAF M); carrying out insecticide experiments in orchards at the UM site to determine the level of effectiveness of various preparations and spraying programs (UM)
• November 2022 to October 2023: analysis and dissemination of results on (potential) toxicity of mushroom proteins for H. halys (AIS)
• December 2022 to February 2022: data analysis for the year 2022 (IAF NG, UL, UM, AIS, IAF M)
• December 2022 to February 2023: data analysis for 2022 (IAF NG, UL, UM, AIS)

WP 4: Preparing information materials for agricultural plant growers and residents in urban areas

• November 2020 to January 2021: (1) examination of data from the scientific literature on the occurrence and development of brown marmorated stink bug (IAF NG); (2) examination of data from the scientific / professional literature on methods for monitoring the presence of brown marmorated stink bug on agricultural plants and alternative host plants in the vicinity of agricultural land (IAF NG); (3) examination of data from the scientific / professional literature on chemical and non-chemical methods of pest control in agricultural production with emphasis on the study of low-risk methods and biological control (UL)
• February 2021 to April 2021: production of a printed leaflet of brown marmorated stink bug for growers of agricultural plants and residents in urban areas (IAF NG, UL, UM, AIS, SIHRB)

WP 5: Preparing expert recommendations for the control of brown marmorated stink bug for growers and recommendations for residents in urban areas

• March 2023 to June 2023: preparation of information material for agricultural plant growers and residents in urban areas, dissemination of results in the form of articles, contributions, preparation of technological instructions (IAF NG, UL, UM, AIS, SIHRB)
• July 2023 to October 2023: dissemination of results in the form of articles, contributions, prepared technological instructions (IAF NG, UL, UM, AIS, SIHRB)

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