First record of the soybean stem fly melanagromyza sojae (Diptera: Agromyzidae) in Bolivia

Abstract

This is the first scientific record of Melanagromyza sojae in Bolivia, confirmed through molecular characterization of the mtDNA COI gene. Commonly known as the soybean stem fly, M. sojae belongs to the family Agromyzidae and is a highly polyphagous pest, attacking several plant species of the Fabaceae family, such as soybeans and other beans. Previously reported in Brazil and Paraguay, the soybean stem fly presence was confirmed in soybean fields of the municipalities of Fernández Alonso, Cuatro Cañadas, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Yapacani and Santa Rosa del Sara, which are located in Santa Cruz Department, Bolivia. This soybean stem fly detection in Bolivia will affect soybean crop practices in South America.