Halyomorpha halys Genome sequencing
Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is an invasive crop pest of global concern. Originally from East Asia, it is rapidly spreading worldwide. H. halys causes direct damage to many crop species, including fruit trees (e.g., apple, pear, cherry, peach), vegetables (e.g., tomato), herbaceous and ornamental plants.The current management of this insect pest consists of repeated treatments with broad-spectrum insecticides that have negative effects also on the natural enemies of H. halys and pollinators. In addition, the excessive use of insecticides can contribute to the development of resistant insect populations. For this reason, researchers are currently engaged in developing more sustainable control strategies, including attract-and-kill systems, vibrational signals for behavioral manipulation of males, and biocontrol agents. The possibility of exploiting naturally occurring insect viruses as specific and targeted biocontrol agents of H. halys might be a possible answer to the increasing demand for a more sustainable management of this insect pest.