This probably results from activity of the insects digestive juices. The most dramatic symptom is tillering of damaged plants . Tillering usually first appears about 10 days after the damage was caused. A shoot begins to grow from the base of the plant and may become as large as the original plant. Damaged plants may develop misshapen ears in place of the tassel.
Some herbicides can cause similar injury to developing corn.
Laboratory staining of the leaves to detect the styletes can provide positive diagnosis of stinkbug feeding. Tillage System Influence Stink bug damage is most severe in no-tillage fields. In this case, the damage can be found throughout the field, often with areas of more intense damage. Frequently these are near wooded areas. Stink bug damage can be found in conventional fields, but the incidence of damaged plants is low and usually frequently limited to the border rows.