Augmentative Biological Control of Stink Bugs Using Entomopathogens in Brazil

The use of augmentative biological control (ABC) of arthropods has been successfully used for centuries in agriculture, however, kept in small scale and erroneously regarded as alternative control. More recently, the portfolio of ABC products has substantially increased, and the technology been proved to be feasible for large scale fields. Moreover, ABC has proved to increase crop sustainability as well as farmers’ profits. Some fungi have been registered and some commercial product being available, especially in Brazil, to be commercially applied against stink bugs. However, more investments in research are still needed to optimize the use of these products in the field, thus favoring more sustainable management of soybean cultivation.