Seasonal Fluctuation and Preference for Wild Fruits of Drosophila suzukii in Cultivated and Noncultivated Areas of Blackberry Crops

Abstract

Abstract Spotted-wing Drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae), is one of the most important pests of berry crops globally. Knowledge of the seasonal fluctuation of SWD population in cultivated and noncultivated areas of blackberry, in relation to preference for wild fruits, can contribute to the development of effective management strategies. In this study, the seasonal dynamics of SWD was determined in cultivated blackberry (Rubus sp.) and noncultivated areas. Moreover, the preference of SWD for wild fruits growing in the blackberry producing region in Michoacán, Mexico, was determined. From 2013 to 2015, field surveys were performed on the seasonal dynamics of SWD. Furthermore, to determine whether the wild and noncultivated plants in this region were hosts to SWD, choice and no-choice experiments were performed, using fruits, under laboratory conditions. The seasonal fluctuation of SWD was not only influenced by wild plant species as alternate hosts, but also by cultural practices, such as the mowing down of blackberry plants and the vegetation surrounding the blackberry crop. In addition to cultivated blackberry, Psidium guajava, Rubus adenotrichos, Spondias mombin, and Prunus serotina var. capuli are reported as new hosts for SWD in the study region. The results of this study will help develop sustainable regional management of this invasive pest in blackberry crops in Mexico.