Barriers to RNAi response in stink bugs

Stink bug complex exerts significant pest pressure on crops such as soybeans in the Americas.  RNA interference presents an opportunity to control this insect. To determine if Neotropical Brown Stink Bug, Euschistus heros, is capable of mounting RNAi response, we microinjected double-stranded RNA into E. heros nymphs. Our studies identified a gene target that causes lethality and demonstrates high sensitivity of E. heros to dsRNA via injection. Feeding of dsRNA in artificial diet produced no lethality in these insects. Further experiments using extracts from E. heros salivary glands showed that the saliva of E. heros exhibits high nuclease activity.