Diversity and abundance of stink bugs egg parasitoids from organic and conventional fields in Cuba

The stink bugs Nezara viridula and Piezodorus guildinii are among the most damaging insect pests of common beans in Cuba. Among the control measures employed, biological control using egg parasitoids represents an eco-friendly alternative for reducing stink bug population levels. The aim of this study was to determine the diversity and abundance of egg parasitoids on N. viridula and P. guildinii and their potential to parasitize them. Two parasitoid species, Telenomus podisi and Trisolcus hullensis, were found to parasitize the stink bug egg masses collected from common bean fields. A mortality rate of 74% and 64% was calculated for N. viridula and P. guildinii eggs, respectively, collected from organic bean fields. However, only 58% of N. viridula eggs and 45% of P. guildinii eggs were parasitized by T. podisi and T. hullensis, respectively. In conventional bean fields, the parasitism rates were 37% for N. viridula and 30% for P. guildinii. Telenomus podisi was also more prevalent than T. hullensis on eggs of N. viridula and P. guildinii collected from organic bean fields. However, T. hullensis was more frequently found than T. podisi on eggs of P. guildinii in conventional fields. These results highlight the importance of these two egg parasitoids as potential natural enemies in bean cropping systems in Cuba and their potential contribution to sustainable stink bug management in common bean production.