The CRISPR Technology to Manage Stink Bugs: Potential, Challenges and Major Benefits

Currently and in the coming decades, plant pests are likely to have significant effects on crop distribution, density, and yield as a result of climate change. Stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) are among the pest threats that can affect global food production. Different control and management strategies are available, showing benefits but also constraints. In this context, plant biotechnology has provided safer, more accessible, and promising tools, such as the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing toolbox. Genome editing is democratizing the biotechnology, letting it available to small companies and, therefore, more accessible to farmers. To address the studies available in this area, a literature search was carried out. The results showed a low number of manuscripts using CRISPR/Cas9 to control stink bugs. However, significant progress has been made in this area with the Neotropical brown stink bug, Euschistus heros (F.), a major soybean pest in the Neotropics, exemplifying the possibility of applying editing tools in pest control. Some challenges such as off-target effects, efficient delivery methods, and genome editing rate related to the wide use of CRISPR/Cas9 are still a burden. However, researchers are working hard to overcome them and make this tool more accessible not only to stink bug control but also to a broader number of pests aiming at contributing to crop improvement, food sustainability and security.