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Investigation on ecology and integrated pest management of Drosophila suzukii Matsumura
Full text linkThe invasiveness of Drosophila suzukii in North America and Europe is causing several damage on soft fruits and cherry. The management of D. suzukii is particularly complex due to its rapid developmental cycle, its ability to infest fruit close to harvest and its polyphagy. Thus, characterizing the range of host plants in natural habitats, finding the lower thermal threshold for pest development and studying the spillover from natural areas to cultivated one become essential to develop sustainable integrated pest management (IPM) strategies.
A highly sensitive monitoring tools (traps and lures) characterized by high selectivity, practical in use, economic cost and low environmental impact, is essential to study the population dynamics and define rational strategies of D. suzukii control. From our studies, carried on multi-year and multi-regional comparison, the most attractive lure was Droskidrink, while Suzukii Trap was the most selective. Attractiveness and selectivity change during the season in dependence of climatic conditions, suggesting the need of implementing different lures in different periods.
Out of more than 100 investigated species in North Italy, 34 non-crop plants were found suitable for D. suzukii development, enhancing pest population in wild areas with subsequently invasion of fields.
From wild host fruits sampled along elevation gradients in mountain areas adults were obtained when the daily average temperature in the three weeks preceding the sampling was at least 11.1°C. Similar results were obtained with the laboratory colonies reared in a natural temperature gradient in an open-top cave, where oviposition and development from egg to adult occurred above 11.6°C. These findings indicate that D. suzukii performs well at low temperatures.
Using traps disposed at different distances from the forest margin and at different heights from ground, it emerged that D. suzukii abundance in the orchards declined strongly with increasing distances from border and heights from ground. The observed patterns varied across the crop phenological development stages, indicating that the pest used multiple habitats across the seasons. When the host plant was not suitable for reproduction, D. suzukii preferred to fly closer to the forest margin and near the grass. Differently, when the host plant was suitable, D. suzukii colonized further the orchards both horizontally and vertically exploring more in depth the canopy volume.
The knowledge provided by this thesis underline the importance to conjugate the monitoring and IPM strategies in order to control D. suzukii at agroecosystem level. In addition, an effective limitation by native parasitoids is desirable and needs further studies
Postharvest short cold temperature treatment to preserve fruit quality after Drosophila suzukii damage
No full textBlueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) and strawberry (Fragaria ananassa) are fruits heavily colonised by Drosophila suzukii in the field while damage increases considerably during the postharvest period. In order to reduce the damage, a short exposure to low temperature can be used to limit the survival of D. suzukii eggs and to prevent the decline in quality of infested fruits. Berries were artificially infested and kept at 0.5 and 5.0 degrees C for 10 and 24 hours. Damage was visually assessed at 3, 6, and 9 days and emergence of flies considered. Berries treated with 0.5 degrees C for 24 h had a higher reduction in emergence of adults in both blueberry (83%) and strawberry (59%) and lower fruit damage. The treatment prolonged the shelf life of infested fruits up to 6 days in blueberry and 3 days in strawberry, compared to untreated control. A direct relation was found between the number of emerging adults and the decay index. It is concluded that short cold temperature exposures would be helpful in order to constrain pest development and sustain berry marketability
Laboratory and field trials to identify effective chemical control strategies for integrated management of Drosophila suzukii in European cherry orchards
No full textThe recent spread of the Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii, in Europe has created
considerable concern because of the damage recorded on various crops, in particular on sweet cherry,
despite the use of conventional pesticides. Effective chemical control strategies are urgently required to
improve integrated SWD management. Insecticide use should be incorporated in an IPM strategy that
adopts cultural and biological control methods and tools to ensure high protection of cherry production
while fulfilling export market requirements. Laboratory and field trials were conducted in North-Eastern
Italy to identify the most effective and sustainable insecticides to be used against SWD in cherry orchards.
In the laboratory, cherries previously infested by SWD were dipped in insecticide solutions to
assess their effectiveness in controlling eggs and larvae. In other laboratory trials cherries were first
treated with insecticides and then exposed to adults to assess residual activity. A number of chemical
control strategies (including one designed for organic orchards) were then compared in cherry orchards.
These strategies were planned also considering the need to control the European cherry fruit fly Rhagoletis
cerasi L., a key pest of cherry in Europe and elsewhere. A number of formulations based on
cyantraniliprole, spinosad, spinetoram, phosmet, lambda-cyhalothrin and deltamethrin were effective
against different life stages of SWD in the laboratory. SWD control in the field was influenced by the use
of above-mentioned insecticides and the number of applications during the cherry ripening period.
Insecticides selected for the protection of organic cherry orchards were almost ineffective. Some strategies
defined for conventional orchards were also effective against R. cerasi. In most cases (dimethoate
was the exception) insecticide residues were lower than maximum residue limits required by the European
Union to export cherries to major markets. In conditions of high pest pressure, three to four
applications with active ingredients having different modes of action were needed to keep D. suzukii and
R. cerasi damage beneath economic thresholds. Sanitation and harvest management could be helpful in
lowering pesticide use. A number of tactics such as insect-proof nets, biological and cultural methods
should be incorporated for an effective IPM strategy with benefits not only for human and environmental
health but also in terms of the lifetime of currently effective insecticides
Mezzi chimici, fisici ed agronomici per il contenimento di Drosophila suzuki
No full textLa biologia e l’ecologia del moscerino Drosophila suzukii impone di integrare tutti i mezzi di contenimento, da quelli agronomici (potature, sfalci, gestione delle bordure e della frutta matura abbandonata) alla cattura massale e all’utilizzo delle reti antinsetto, ai trattamenti chimici. Fondamentale risulta la programmazione di una raccolta rapida e tempestiva dei frutt
Impiego di Trichopria drosophilae per il contenimento delle popolazioni di Drosophila suzukii in Veneto
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