Project start: 01.03.2015
Project end: 28.02.2018
Sponsor: Hessen State Ministry of Higher Education, Research and the Arts

The spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii Matsumura is an invasive and highly polyphagous insect, being able to infest a variety of important crops, including cherries, raspberries, strawberries and grapes. In contrast to native European Drosophila species female flies lay their eggs in undamaged fruits, where larvae develop on fruit flesh, causing fruits to rot within a few days, thus making them unmarketable. Accordingly, yield losses of up to 100% and thus severe economic losses have been recorded. Accordingly, the development of new management strategies is required which allow a sustainable control of this insect during the cultivation of grapevine and soft fruit. The major aim of this project is therefore the development of an efficient and selective trap and/or attractant. This attractant, in conjunction with e.g. biological insecticides, can be utilized in bait traps or oviposition medium which previously has been treated with an insecticide to combat the spotted wing drosophila before the ripening of soft fruits or grapes.