Abstract
Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae), an economically important pest of blueberry and other thin-skinned fruits, persists and prolifically reproduces under seemingly lethal climatic conditions in the field. However, behavioral and physiological mechanisms employed by D. suzukii to tolerate such extreme climatic conditions in the field are unknown. The primary objective of this project was to investigate diel periodicity of D. suzukii and their reproductive success under field conditions as related by climatic factors such as temperature and relative humidity. Results show that D. suzukii reproductive success was significantly higher during the night (including dawn and dusk periods) than the day in terms of oviposition, pupation, adult eclosion, and the number of progeny per female. Female D. suzukii reproductive success was not significantly different between specific regions of a blueberry bush in relation to the amount of shade provided by the canopy. Our studies indicate that D. suzukii flight activity is crepuscular and is sensitive to fluctuations in temperature and relative humidity. Results also suggest that the majority of fly activity during peak hours is concentrated in areas around the border and within the center of blueberry orchards with little activity in the surrounding wooded areas. These findings suggest that D. suzukii prefers microclimate with mild temperatures and high humidity, and does not function well when exposed to direct sunlight with extreme heat. The authors propose that D. suzukii management strategies should be implemented during the early morning and immediately before darkness to maximize efficacy.
Highlights
Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is one of the most serious pests of thin-skinned fruits including blueberry, blackberry, cherry, raspberry, and strawberry [1, 2, 3, 4]
The concept of the circadian clock governing daily activity is well understood in D. melanogaster, but the chronobiology and daily rhythms of D. suzukii under the field conditions have not yet been investigated. Chronobiology, as it relates to daily activity patterns of D. suzukii, could provide valuable information to align the timing of the implementation of control strategies with the peak fly activity during a 24-hour period. The objective of this project is to explore chronobiology of D. suzukii under field conditions with regards to how daily rhythms as well as the development and reproduction are affected by temperature and relative humidity during a 24-hour cycle [17, 18]
In the present study we assessed the activity of D. suzukii in unmanaged blueberry fields by setting up a series of weekly trapping routines designed to determine which times of day and locations in blueberry orchards D. suzukii are most active with respect to the temperature and relative humidity
Summary
Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is one of the most serious pests of thin-skinned fruits including blueberry, blackberry, cherry, raspberry, and strawberry [1, 2, 3, 4]. The propensity for D. suzukii to prefer ripening fruit makes it a difficult pest for growers to deal with. Developing larvae consume the flesh of the fruit causing it to become soft and rot rapidly, making the fruit unmarketable for fresh consumption. This results in reduced crop yields and significant financial losses which have been estimated at $718 million annually in the United States [1, 2, 5].
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