Behavior and Integrated Pest Management of Drosophila Suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) in Washington State Sweet Cherry

Download or read book Behavior and Integrated Pest Management of Drosophila Suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) in Washington State Sweet Cherry written by Alix B. Whitener and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) is an invasive frugivorous fly native to Eastern and Southeastern Asia introduced to North America in 2008. Drosophila suzukii has rapidly expanded its range and is now found in Europe, the Americas, and Asia. The capability of D. suzukii to attack intact ripening fruit, a unique trait among drosophilids, makes it a formidable economic threat to fruit crop production regions, including the sweet cherry industry in the United States. Adult flies oviposit into the skin of fruit and larvae consequently damage fruit by feeding internally, rendering it unmarketable. Pest management tactics for fruit crops within D. suzukii's host range are dominated by chemically intensive prophylactic control methods to mitigate damage for which there is nearly zero tolerance. Since its arrival to present, research has been aimed at developing management strategies that are less chemical-dependent, including cultural and mechanical approaches. Within the trapping and monitoring framework of integrated pest management (IPM), commercial lures, baits and traps were tested in commercial orchards to evaluate their efficacy in selectivity and performance. I evaluated the potential for attracticides to be added to the IPM toolbox, a more selective method of chemical control. In a chemical-intensive management system, residues of insecticides currently in use were tested for residual control and route of exposure differences. Lastly, attraction behavior modulation by yeast species Hanseniaspora uvarum (Niehaus) was characterized for effects on flight and copulation of D. suzukii. These findings show that D. suzukii behavior is influenced by H. uvarum, which provide background information for further behavioral studies. Components of this dissertation add to the current literature of this relatively new invasive pest.