Nosema maddoxi infecting the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), in the Republic of Georgia

Authors: KERESELIDZE, MANANA - Agriculture University Of Georgia; PILARSKA, DANIELA - New Bulgarian University; LINDE, ANDREAS - Eberswalde University For Sustainable Development; Sanscrainte, Neil; HAJEK, ANN - Cornell University

Submitted to: Biocontrol Science and Technology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/20/2020
Publication Date: 6/30/2020
Citation: Kereselidze, M., Pilarska, D., Linde, A., Sanscrainte, N.D., Hajek, A.E. 2020. Nosema maddoxi infecting the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), in the Republic of Georgia. Biocontrol Science and Technology. 30(10):1083-1089. https://doi.org/10.1080/09583157.2020.1787346.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09583157.2020.1787346

Interpretive Summary: The brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys, is an invasive species that has been attacking the Republic of Georgia's hazelnut orchards since 2015. This manuscript is the first report of the microsporidia pathogen Nosema maddoxi in Georgian H. halys collected in three regions of West Georgia from 2018-2019.

Technical Abstract: Halyomorpha halys is an invasive, polyphagous stink bug from Asia, first reported attacking hazelnut orchards in the Republic of Georgia in 2015. A microsporidian pathogen discovered in Georgian H. halys has been identified as Nosema maddoxi. Nosema maddoxi is native to China and North America; in North America it infects native stink bugs and H. halys. Investigations were carried out during different seasons in three regions of West Georgia in 2018-2019. The highest prevalence of N. maddoxi was detected among overwintered adults collected in May in the Guria region.