Elucidating Host Plant Resistance to Halyomorpha Halys Brown Marmorated Stink Bug in Soybeans.

Halyomorpha halys brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), is a native insect of Korea, Japan, and China. In 1996, BMSB was introduced to North America and has quickly become a noxious agricultural pest. In nearly 20 years, BMSB populations have steadily increased and are now high enough in the mid-Atlantic region to significantly reduced yield and create substantial economic losses to a wide range of plants and crops; including soybeans, corn, apples, grapes, vegetables, and several horticultural tree species. As of 2015, BMSB has been detected in 42 states and is a severe agricultural pest in nine states. On soybeans, damage from BMSB infestation ranges from puncture marks with seed discoloration and deformities to seed and pod abortion. Ohio is one of the nation’s leading producers of conventional (non-GMO), food-grade soybeans grown for tofu, a high value product where seed damage or discoloration is unacceptable. Over the past three years, the USDA soybean germplasm collection (MGII-IV) has been screened for resistance to BMSB. Results from choice and no-choice tests indicate high levels of susceptibility in Ohio grown commercial varieties, however, several sources of strong resistance have been identified among the plant introduction collection. Resistance as measured by incidence and severity both appear to be quantitative. High broad-sense heritability estimates (H2 = 0.70) indicate that resistance characteristics are largely a result of genetic factors and can be introgressed into high yielding varieties. Moreover, genome wide association analysis of 202 individuals also revealed several significant SNPs in QTL regions linked to pod wall thickness, seed coat hardness, and aphid resistance.