Susceptibility and Interactions of Drosophila suzukii and Zaprionus indianus (Diptera: Drosophilidae) in Damaging Strawberry

Abstract

Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) has been recently detected causing damage to strawberries in Brazil. Infestation in strawberry culture has often been observed jointly with the presence of Zaprionus indianus Gupta. This study investigated the susceptibility of strawberries at three ripening stages to infestation of D. suzukii and Z. indianus and their interaction. In the laboratory, strawberries cv. Albion at different ripening stages (green, semi-ripe and ripe) were exposed to D. suzukii and Z. indianus for 24 h in choice and no-choice bioassays. Additionally, we evaluated the effects of mechanical damage incurred artificially or by D. suzukii oviposition on Z. indianus infestation. In no-choice bioassay, there were no significant differences in fruit susceptibility to D. suzukii infestation at different ripening stages. However, in choice bioassay, D. suzukii adults preferred to oviposit on R fruit. The presence of mechanical damage did not increase susceptibility of fruit to D. suzukii oviposition. For Z. indianus, there was greater susceptibility of R fruit in relation to SR and G fruit in both the choice and no-choice bioassays. There was a significant and positive interaction of mechanical damage and damage caused by D. suzukii to R fruit and infestation by Z. indianus, which was not observed in SR and G fruit. Although infestation of Z. indianus is related to attack damaged or decaying fruit, this work shows that this species has the ability to oviposit and develop in healthy strawberry fruit with and increased infestation level when the fruit has damage to its epidermis.

Evolution of Multiple Sensory Systems Drives Novel Egg-Laying Behavior in the Fruit Pest Drosophila suzukii

“…We concluded that D. suzukii has access to strawberries at the onset of their maturation but strongly prefers blushing and ripe fruit stages. These results are consistent with previous observations that used different strawberry cultivars and other species of berry [10, 13, 14]. Together, they establish that D. suzukii , compared to other closely related species, has shifted its oviposition target from rotten to earlier stages of fruit maturation.…”

Toxicity to and egg‐laying avoidance of Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) caused by an old alternative inorganic insecticide preparation

“…Application of the lime sulfur preparation represents a good example of an alternative product capable of controlling multiple insect pests in the organic production of strawberries. In strawberry production systems worldwide, phytophagous mites (particularly the two‐spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch) and more recently, D. suzukii are considered the most prevalent pests,, and both pest systems can be adequately controlled by lime sulfur preparations. For example, the lime sulfur LC 80 for D. suzukii is in the concentration range known to provide adequate control of T. urticae…”

“…In the global production of strawberries, as observed for fields of other soft‐skinned fruits, recent invasions of the spotted‐wing drosophila , Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae), have elevated these flies to one of the most prevalent strawberry pests . However, despite recent efforts aimed at developing other management strategies, e.g., potential parasitoids, mass trapping and physical exclusion (netting), the application of synthetic insecticides remains the most used tool for the management of D. suzukii , , .…”

Reducing Drosophila suzukii emergence through inter‐species competition

“…In natural conditions, the niche that D. suzukii occupies means that they do not normally need to compete with other Drosophila species for egg‐laying resources until ripening fruits become scarce. However, in assays performed by Bernardi et al ., when given a choice of varying fruit ripeness, and with no competition, significantly more D. suzukii eggs were laid on, and adults emerged from, ripe and overripe fruit compared with ripening fruit; a trend also found by Lee et al . in comprehensive investigations .…”