Fruit damage by stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatoidae) in bush-type tomatoes

Adult stink bugs were introduced onto caged, bush-type tomatoes to establish the amount of fruit damage resulting from different durations of infestation (up to 20 d), densities (1, 3, 5, and 10 bugs per 2 m of row), species (Euschistus conspersus Uhler and Chlorochroa uhleri (StAVI)) and reduced fruit abundance (75, 50, and 0% reduction). Factors that significantly influenced the percentage of tomato fruit damaged were stink bug density and reduced fruit density at constant stink bug densities. Stink bug density affected the number of damaged areas per fruit in 1 of the 2 years of the study. Stink bug species and the number of days of stink bug infestation did not affect the percentage of damaged fruit or the number of damaged areas per fruit. Implications for stink bug management in tomatoes grown in California are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]