US: Research shows fruit fly prefers sweet, soft fruit
"Because we know that D. suzukii prefers softer, sweeter fruit, we can focus our research efforts into which wild fruits may serve as reservoirs for this species and help identify new crops that might be at risk," says Dr. Hannah Burrack, an assistant professor of entomology at NC State and lead author of a paper on the research. "These findings may also be a starting point for plant breeders interested in developing new fruit varieties that are more resistant to D. suzukii."
Sellers go to great pains to remove infested fruit before it reaches the marketplace, so consumers won't notice a difference in fruit quality. But infestations can cause significant economic problems for fruit growers. For example, researchers estimate that D. suzukii has the potential to destroy 40 percent of blackberry and raspberry crops in the eastern U.S., which would affect berry prices and availability.
D. suzukii already causes tens of millions of dollars in crop damage annually to cherries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and strawberries. But researchers estimate that losses could climb into the hundreds of millions of dollars per year if the pest can't be controlled.
While ongoing studies explore pesticide-based approaches to control D. suzukii, the new research from NC State should help scientists and farmers with other control options.
For example, the study found that D. suzukii are more likely to infest certain varieties of raspberries and blackberries. This means growers may be able to limit crop damage by planting more of the varieties that D. suzukii tend to avoid. Similarly, this information allows farmers to focus pesticide treatment on varieties that are most susceptible to infestation.
The three-year study evaluated D. suzukii impacts in commercial blackberry and raspberry crops in North Carolina, and also encompassed laboratory experiments to help researchers determine which characteristics made fruits more likely to be infested. The work was supported by the Southern Region Small Fruit Consortium, North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, North Carolina Department of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture and North Carolina Blueberry Council.
Source: sciencedaily.com
