Brown Marmorated Stink Bug and Hazelnut Farming, "We Must Mobilize Urgently and Collectively"

"Especially in hazelnut-producing cities such as Ordu, Giresun, and Trabzon, we must urgently and collectively take precautions against this pest before hazelnut fruits start forming. Our farmers, agricultural chambers, civil society organizations, and local governments need to act immediately."

"As an agricultural engineer, although I am against the use of chemical pesticides, I must regrettably say that if we don't start spraying every field and home as soon as possible, hazelnut farming and everyone whose livelihood depends on hazelnuts will suffer greatly from this pest both this year and next."

Agricultural Engineer Emrah Albayrak

Significant Damage to Hazelnut Production!

The brown marmorated stink bug uses a needle-like mouthpart to pierce hazelnuts and extract their sap while feeding. This process reduces the quality of the hazelnut, leading to deformities and hollow fruits. For producers, this means both crop loss and a decline in product quality. Research indicates that the losses caused by this pest are increasing every year. In the Black Sea region, in particular, the consequences of a brown marmorated stink bug infestation can be severe.

The brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys) poses a significant threat to one of Turkey's most important agricultural products: hazelnuts. This harmful insect infests hazelnut trees, reducing the quality of the crops and causing severe economic losses for producers. First detected in Turkey in 2017, this pest has rapidly spread across hazelnut-growing regions in recent years. But do you know how the brown marmorated stink bug damages hazelnuts and how to combat it?

Our Steps in Combating the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

As Karimex Hazelnut Industry, we have launched a series of advertising and awareness campaigns to inform and protect our producers against the threat of the brown marmorated stink bug. We have carried out effective efforts both digitally and on the ground.

We shared informative content on social media platforms aimed at hazelnut producers. Our campaigns provided comprehensive information on how to identify the pest, the regions where it is most prevalent, and methods of combatting it. Our advertisement videos contributed to raising awareness among producers.

Outdoor Advertisements: In hazelnut-producing regions, we used billboards and posters to warn producers.

You can take the following measures to combat the brown marmorated stink bug

• Regular Garden Inspections: Regularly check your garden for signs of the brown marmorated stink bug. Pay close attention to the undersides of leaves and the surfaces of fruits.
• Biological Control: You can reduce the population of the brown marmorated stink bug by using natural predators (parasitoids). Additionally, it is important to choose environmentally friendly products in pest management.
• Mechanical Control: You can use physical traps to collect and eliminate the pest. Don't forget to regularly clean areas around hazelnut orchards where the pest may reside.
• Chemical Control: If necessary, intervention with approved pesticides from the Ministry of Agriculture may be carried out. However, chemical use should be approached with caution, and expert advice should be sought.

How to Identify the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug?

Adult brown marmorated stink bugs are 12-17 mm long and have a mottled appearance in shades of brown.

Their eggs are pale in color and small (about 1-3 mm in diameter).

The nymphs (larvae) can vary in color but have a similar structure to the adult stink bugs.

They cause necrotic spots and tissue loss on the plants they feed on.

On fruits, they lead to unsightly appearances and loss of flavor.

In hazelnuts, they result in hollow, misshapen, and spotted nuts, reducing yield and quality.

Additionally, they may cause allergic reactions in some individuals.