| Sumario: | Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter) (Hemiptera: Miridae) is a cosmopolitan zoophytophagous predator, which zoophagy and phytophagy have given it both the status as biocontrol agent and pest, respectively. Thus, it fits into the category of biocontrol agents with traits that hinder its performance. In regions where it is valued as a biocontrol agent, it is mainly released in tomato crops to suppress key pests such as Bemisia tabaci Gennadius (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). Its role in the activation of plant defenses has also been confirmed more recently. However, its phytophagous behavior can inflict damage on tomato crops under circumstances of prey scarcity. This can produce esthetical or yield losses, or lead to the application of pesticides to reduce its population, thus disrupting the biocontrol programs. Selective breeding in N. tenuis have been suggested as an alternative to minimize the detrimental effects of its phytophagy, however, no genetic or genomic information on the species was reported to date.
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