These findings provide evidence that feeding behavior of the piercing-sucking bean bug facilitates the transmission of A. flavus in soybean, underscoring the crucial role of insect vectors in plant pathogen spread. Therefore, integrated pest and disease management strategies need to simultaneously consider the dual role of insects as both pests and fungal vectors, aiming to reduce aflatoxin contamination and improve soybean yield. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.
Shan et al. (Wed,) studied this question.