Rearing Technic for Nezara viridula (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) Using Semi-Solid Artificial Diet.

The southern green stinkbug (SGSB), Nezara viridula (L.) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), is one of the most threatening pests for agriculture in North and South America.  This insect is a key pest of soybean and cotton throughout the southern and southeastern in south U.S. Numerous insects cause injury to soybeans and cotton every year, often reducing yield and quality. However, the stink bug complex was the costliest insect pest in soybean and number two in cotton in 2019 growing season. Eggs parasitoids are important biological control agents of stink bugs population and potential augmentative use of these parasitoids in integrated pest management programs demands mass rearing. Therefore, a rearing method for the SGSB using lygus semi-solid artificial diet was developed. The result of this investigation provided better understanding about SGSB colonies management. Biological aspects, reproductive rates, and a detailed description for each rearing process are presented. In general, using artificial diet for rearing SGSB reduced cost and increased reliability and simplicity of its production, this could greatly facilitate the mass rearing of biological control agents