Non-crop habitats serve as a potential source of spotted-wing drosophila (Diptera: Drosophilidae) to adjacent cultivated highbush blueberries (Ericaceae)

Abstract

Native to southeast Asia, the spotted-wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura); Diptera: Drosophilidae) has become a major pest of small fruits in the Americas and Europe. Field studies were conducted over a two-year period (2015–2016) in cultivated highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum Linnaeus; Ericaceae) fields and adjacent non-crop habitats containing wild blueberries in New Jersey (United States of America). We tracked seasonal changes in D. suzukii adult abundance and fruit infestation throughout the ripening period (June–August). In both years, D. suzukii adult counts post-harvest were generally higher in traps located in non-crop habitats compared with those located in highbush blueberry fields. Wild and cultivated fruits synchronised in maturation, and the numbers of eggs laid and of emerged adults in both fruit types were comparable for most of the season, although sometimes these numbers were higher in wild fruits post-harvest. Overall, immature success (measured as the per cent egg-to-adult survival) was also mostly higher in wild than in cultivated fruits. Altogether, these studies document that non-crop habitats, and wild hosts therein, are used by D. suzukii during fruit ripening and may serve as potential sources of infestation to nearby highbush blueberry fields. Hence, methods that reduce D. suzukii populations in non-crop habitats may help manage this pest in neighbouring highbush blueberries.

Agricultural landscape affects sex‐specific differences in the abundance of Drosophila suzukii in raspberry orchards

“…In this study, we found that the abundance of SWD also depends on the time of the year. The greater abundance in forests is connected with the availability of wild fruits in forests (Kenis et al, 2016;Urbaneja-Bernat et al, 2020). This became even more obvious when checking the temporal pattern, which shows a strong increase towards the autumn months.…”

Macroecological patterns of fruit infestation rates by the invasive fly Drosophila suzukii in the wild reservoir host plant Sambucus nigra

“…Some non-crop hosts could even be responsible for maintaining D. suzukii populations in landscapes and therefore for the infestation of crop plants (Diepenbrock et al, 2016). There is increasing evidence that forest habitats serve as refuges, resource reservoirs and, finally, potential sources of D. suzukii to adjacent cultivated areas (Delbac et al, 2020b;Haro-Barchin et al, 2018;Poyet et al, 2014;Urbaneja-Bernat et al, 2020). Earlier infestation risks could occur in farms in high woodland landscapes (Pelton et al, 2016).…”

“…There is increasing evidence that forest habitats serve as refuges, resource reservoirs and, finally, potential sources of D . suzukii to adjacent cultivated areas (Delbac et al, 2020b; Haro‐Barchin et al, 2018; Poyet et al, 2014; Urbaneja‐Bernat et al, 2020). Earlier infestation risks could occur in farms in high woodland landscapes (Pelton et al, 2016).…”

“…ties of volatile chemicals attractive to the fly(Urbaneja-Bernat et al, 2021). The quantity and quality of local resources however depend on other fleshy-fruited species present around the sampling site.…”

The spotted-wing drosophila,Drosophila suzukii(Diptera: Drosophilidae)

“…They present the first result concerning oviposition and survival to emergence of D. suzukii in a spatial context within the canopy of a sweet cherry orchard. Urbaneja-Bernat et al (2020) studied the impact of noncrop habitat, primarily in wild lowbush blueberry, on the seasonal abundance/activity of adult D. suzukii and fruit infestation by larvae in nearby highbush blueberry ( Vaccinium corymbosum Linnaeus; Ericaceae) fields.…”