Three strains of fungi belonging to the genus Metarhizium Sorokīn (ARSEF 4556, ARSEF 3297, native strain) were assayed against adults and nymphs of the Neotropical brown stinkbug Euschistus heros (F.) and the green-belly stinkbug Dichelops furcatus (F.). The most virulent strain, ARSEF 4556, caused over 90% mortality. The average survival time of the second and fifth instar nymphs and adults following immersion in 1 × 108 conidia ml−1 was 4.8, 5.7, and 5.2 d, respectively. The second instar nymphs were more susceptible than the adults. The LC50 values and median survival times for second instar and adult E. heros were 1.6 × 107 and 3.1 × 107 conidia ml−1 and 6 and 8 d, respectively. Eggs of E. heros and the closely related stinkbug, D. furcatus, were highly susceptible to ARSEF 4556 with the mean mortality of eggs immersed in 1 × 108 conidia ml−1 being 77.4% and 89.7%, respectively. The strain 3297 showed also good aptitudes for stinkbugs control with mortalities higher than 80% against nymphs and adults and eggs mortalities of 75.5% for E. heros and 79.6% for D. furcatus. This study has shown that it is possible to have a two-pronged control strategy, targeting adults and to reduce oviposition and targeting egg clusters to prevent emergence and dispersal of nymphs. Besides early instars of nymphs have been shown to be more susceptible to the fungal strains than late instars and adults.

The presence of Orchid fleck virus (OFV) in Paraguay was confirmed in orchid plants collected during a survey carried out in 2013. Leaves displayed ringspot and fleck symptoms, and in infected tissues, non-enveloped, short, rodlike viral particles were observed. Partial OFV N and L genes were amplified using specific and degenerate primers, respectively; the nucleotide sequences demonstrated high identities (98%) with other OFV isolates. Degenerate primers for the L gene were designed considering conserved regions within all of the available OFV sequences and those from the closely related isolates citrus leprosis virus nuclear type (CiLV-N) and citrus necrotic spot virus. Degenerate primers were also successfully used for the detection of CiLV-N from infected citrus samples.