Piercing‐sucking insect herbivory facilitates the transmission of Aspergillus flavus in soybean

Key Points

• Insect herbivory facilitates the transmission of Aspergillus flavus, increasing the risk of aflatoxin contamination in soybean crops.
• The feeding behavior of piercing-sucking insects like bean bugs plays a critical role in the spread of plant pathogens and fungal spores.
• Integrated pest and disease management strategies must consider the dual role of insects as both pests and fungal vectors in agriculture.
• Highlighting this relationship may enable better control measures to improve soybean yield while reducing aflatoxin risk.

Abstract