Project Summaries

USDA SARE (2022-2025): EXPLORING NOVEL NATURAL PRODUCTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PUSH-PULL STRATEGY TO MANAGE SPOTTED-WING DROSOPHILA

The invasion of spotted-wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura), into the Northeast USA in 2011 has severely disrupted small fruit Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs. Native to Southeast Asia, SWD has become the most important insect pest of small fruits throughout the USA. SWD attacks a wide variety of fruit crops, including blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, and cherries, with a combined annual value of over $5.8 billion in the USA, and causing losses that exceed $718 million annually. Currently, growers rely on a single management strategy—aggressive, calendar-based conventional insecticide applications. We propose a more sustainable alternative to chemical control of SWD based on behavior manipulation called push-pull, which combines the use of an attractant (the pull component) with a repellent/deterrent compound (the push component). Adoption of an effective push-pull system by conventional, organic, and U-pick growers, as proposed here, should drastically reduce the frequency of conventional insecticide applications, suppress the development of insecticide resistance development, and minimize negative impacts on biological control agents. Our project addresses the #1 research priority for small fruits for the Northeastern IPM Center, which is “new and emerging pests.” Based on stakeholder feedback, future research should focus on the development of behavior-based strategies, such as push-pull, which is the goal of this proposal.

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USDA OREI (2022-2025): ON-FARM INTEGRATION OF ORGANIC MANAGEMENT OF SPOTTED-WINGDROSOPHILA IN FRUIT CROPS

Spotted-wing drosophila (SWD) is a devastating pest of berries and stone fruits throughout the United States causing very high losses (up to 100%, if shipments are rejected) in crop yield and quality. This is estimated to have an economic impact of $718 million annually, with associated effects on farm profitability, jobs, and rural communities. Management of SWD is achieved largely by insecticide applications and is particularly challenging for organic growers due to the few effective OMRI-approved insecticides. Resistance to the most effective OMRI-approved material, spinosad, has recently been detected in California berry crops, highlighting a need to diversify on-farm management tactics. The goal of this project is to integrate various organic management approaches that are compatible with biological control, including monitoring, non-chemical controls, and conservation practices. These will enhance adoption of integrated pest management, maintain crop quality, and support profitable berry production. We will pair these short-term goals to address immediate needs, with outreach and training to build an organic literate extension workforce.

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USDA CPPM (2021-2024): CLASSICAL BIOLOGICAL CONTROL FOR SPOTTED-WING DROSOPHILA IN THE NORTHEASTERN US

This project will focus on the management of spotted-wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura), a key pest of soft-skinned fruit crops in the USA. Since 2008, it has continued to impact fruit crops severely, and implementing cost-effective, sustainable management programs remains an urgent national priority. There is zero tolerance for the infestation in fresh fruit, so management programs rely on broad-spectrum insecticides, resulting in significant economic and non-target effects. The intensive management for this pest includes secondary pest outbreaks that occur when insecticides disrupt other pests’ biological control. Therefore, new non-insecticide management options are needed. The most promising biological control option is introducing a parasitoid from the native range of SWD in Asia. Recent explorations and subsequent research have identified Ganaspis brasiliensis, a larval parasitoid, as one of the most efficient and host-specific SWD parasitoids. In addition to biological control options, promising new behavioral management strategies, including repellents, attract and kill and bait methods are in development. These strategies are reduced risk compared to the current insecticide usage. Currently, little is known if G. brasiliensis will successfully establish, overwinter, or be compatible with new behavioral management strategies. We propose to further our knowledge on the establishment, overwintering success, and conservation of G. brasiliensis through integration with behavioral management strategies.

USDA SCRI (2020-2024): MOVING FROM CRISIS RESPONSE TO LONG-TERM INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF SWD: A KEYSTONE PEST OF FRUIT CROPS IN THE UNITED STATES

Since its first detection in 2008, spotted-wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura), has become a keystone pest of small- and stone-fruits in the United States valued at $5.8 billion. Our team made substantial progress by refining monitoring tools, developing effective insecticide-based management programs, cultural controls, and screening native and exotic biological control agents to address the crisis phase of SWD invasion. However, SWD management is still highly insecticide-dependent and is further challenged by secondary pest outbreaks, insecticide resistance, and increased input costs. Now that SWD is established as a keystone pest in the U.S., it is critical to develop more sustainable strategies to manage SWD. Thus, the goal of this project is to implement systems-based integrated management programs that are cost-effective and environmentally-sustainable for long-term management of SWD. Major objectives of this project include:
1) Implementation of best management programs for sustainable SWD management in collaboration with grower influencers; 2)Develop economics-based decision aid tools to increase profitability; 3) Evaluate sustainable alternatives to insecticides for long-term SWD management;4) Assess and reduce the risk of insecticide resistance development; and 5) Develop and disseminate actionable recommendations that enable producers to optimize pest management decisions, and evaluate their impact. This stakeholder-driven transdisciplinary project addresses SCRI program focus areas: 2) Pest Management; 3) Plant Production and Production Efficiency; 4) New Innovations and Technology; and 5) Food Safety. Grower-stakeholders were engaged to develop objectives of this proposal and will continue to play central role through Stakeholder Advisory Board, and crop- and region-specific grower influencer teams.

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Revised: December 6, 2022