Field and greenhouse application of an attract-and-kill formulation based on the yeast Hanseniaspora uvarum and the insecticide spinosad to control Drosophila suzukii in grapes.

BACKGROUND: The invasive insect Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) is an important pest of several red grape varieties. The yeast Hanseniaspora uvarum (Niehaus), which is associated with D. suzukii, strongly attracts flies and stimulates them to feed on yeast-laden food. In the present study, a formulation based on H. uvarum culture with spinosad insecticide was applied to the foliage of vineyards and control of D. suzukii was compared to applying spinosad to the whole plant. After successful H. uvarum and insecticide application in the vineyard, we tested additional H. uvarum-based formulations with spinosad in a greenhouse to determine their capacity to control D. suzukii. RESULTS: Application of the H. uvarum-spinosad formulation at 36.4 g of spinosad per hectare reduced the D. suzukii field infestation at the same rate as applying 120 g of spinosad per hectare and prevented spinosad residues on grapes. Leaves treated with H. uvarum and spinosad in the field and transferred to a laboratory assay caused high mortality to flies and reduced the number of eggs laid on fruits. Formulations with spinosad applied in the greenhouse showed that both H. uvarum culture and the yeast cell-free supernatant of a centrifuged culture increased fly mortality and reduced the number of eggs laid compared to the unsprayed control. CONCLUSION: In comparison to typical spinosad spray applications, the use of H. uvarum in combination with spinosad as an attract-and-kill formulation against D. suzukii reduces pesticide residues on the fruits by targeting the treatment to the canopy and decreasing the amount of insecticide per hectare without compromising control efficacy.

Behavioral manipulation of Drosophila suzukii for pest control: high attraction to yeast enhances insecticide efficacy when applied on leaves.

BACKGROUND: The invasive pest, Drosophila suzukii attacks fresh soft-skinned fruit. Broad-spectrum insecticides are implemented for control but there is a need to reduce environmental risks and insecticide residues on fruits. Hanseniaspora uvarum is a yeast frequently found on ripe fruits and associated with D. suzukii. We aim to exploit the ecological association and attraction of D. suzukii to H. uvarum by developing an attract-and-kill strategy, with spray-application on canopy but not fruit. We therefore investigated D. suzukii attraction, egg-laying and mortality when exposed to insecticidal yeast-based formulations. RESULTS: Hanseniaspora uvarum strongly attracted D. suzukii when applied on leaves of grapevine, Vitis vinifera. Notably, this attractiveness was competitive to ripe grape berries that were susceptible to D. suzukii infestation. Moreover, adding H. uvarum enhanced the efficacy of insecticidal formulations against D. suzukii. Flies exposed to leaves treated with yeast-insecticide formulations showed higher mortality and laid a lower number of eggs compared to flies exposed to insecticide alone. In a wind tunnel, all treatments containing H. uvarum alone or in combination with insecticides, caused similar upwind flight and landing at the odor source, which provides evidence that the addition of insecticide did not reduce D. suzukii attraction to yeast. CONCLUSION: Hanseniaspora uvarum can be used to manipulate the behavior of D. suzukii by attracting flies to insecticide formulations. Yeast attraction is competitive to grape berries and improves insecticide effectiveness, suggesting that sprays covering canopy only, could reduce residues on fruit without compromising management efficacy.

Estabilidade da resistência de Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes) (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) a hexythiazox em pomares de citros / Stability of Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes) (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) resistance to hexythiazox in citrus groves

O ácaro-da-leprose, Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes), é uma das principais pragas da cultura dos citros (Citrus spp.), por ser o transmissor do vírus que causa a leprose dos citros. O acaricida hexythiazox tem sido bastante utilizado no controle de B. phoenicis em pomares de citros. A resistência do ácaro a hexythiazox já foi detectada em altas freqüências em algumas localidades. Para a implementação de um programa de manejo da resistência, foram realizados estudos para entender a estabilidade da resistência de B. phoenicis a hexythiazox mediante 1) a comparação da biologia das linhagens suscetível (S) e resistente (R) ao hexythiazox em condições de laboratório e 2) a avaliação da dinâmica da resistência a hexythiazox em talhões de citros com baixa (< 20 por cento) e alta (> 60 por cento) freqüência de resistência, por dois anos. Estimativas da freqüência de resistência foram realizadas com bioensaio de contato direto sobre ovos, utilizando-se a concentração discriminatória de 18 mg de hexythiazox/L de água. Não foram verificadas diferenças significativas entre as linhagens S e R, quanto aos parâmetros biológicos avaliados para a confecção das tabelas de vida de fertilidade. No entanto, a resistência de B. phoenicis a hexythiazox foi instável em condições de campo, isto é, foram verificadas reduções significativas na freqüência de resistência na ausência de pressão de seleção, tanto em talhões de citros com baixa freqüência como em talhões com alta freqüência de resistência. Portanto, a instabilidade da resistência de B. phoenicis a hexythiazox pode ser explorada em programas de manejo da resistência.

The false spider mite, Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes), is one the most important pests of the citrus groves and transmits the citrus leprosis virus. The acaricide hexythiazox has been widely used for controlling B. phoenicis in citrus groves. The resistance of this species to hexythiazox has already been detected at high frequencies at some locations. In order to implement a resistance management program, studies were undertaken to understand the stability of the resistance of B. phoenicis to hexythiazox by 1) comparing the life-history of susceptible (S) and resistant (R) strains under laboratory conditions, and 2) evaluating the dynamics of hexythiazox resistance in citrus field plots with low (< 20 percent) and high (> 60 percent) frequency of resistance, during two years. The frequencies of resistance were estimated with direct contact bioassays on eggs with discriminating concentration of 18 mg of hexythiazox/L of water. There were no significant differences between S and R strains, based on biological parameters evaluated to build fertility life tables. However, the resistance of B. phoenicis to hexythiazox was unstable under field conditions; that is, significant reductions in the frequency of resistance were observed in the absence of selection pressure, either in citrus field plots with low or high frequency of resistance. Therefore, the instability of B. phoenicis resistance to hexythiazox can be exploited in resistance management programs.

[Stability of Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes) (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) resistance to hexythiazox in citrus groves]. / Estabilidade da resistência de Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes) (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) a hexythiazox em pomares de citros.

The false spider mite, Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes), is one the most important pests of the citrus groves and transmits the citrus leprosis virus. The acaricide hexythiazox has been widely used for controlling B. phoenicis in citrus groves. The resistance of this species to hexythiazox has already been detected at high frequencies at some locations. In order to implement a resistance management program, studies were undertaken to understand the stability of the resistance of B. phoenicis to hexythiazox by 1) comparing the life-history of susceptible (S) and resistant (R) strains under laboratory conditions, and 2) evaluating the dynamics of hexythiazox resistance in citrus field plots with low (< 20%) and high (> 60%) frequency of resistance, during two years. The frequencies of resistance were estimated with direct contact bioassays on eggs with discriminating concentration of 18 mg of hexythiazox/L of water. There were no significant differences between S and R strains, based on biological parameters evaluated to build fertility life tables. However, the resistance of B. phoenicis to hexythiazox was unstable under field conditions; that is, significant reductions in the frequency of resistance were observed in the absence of selection pressure, either in citrus field plots with low or high frequency of resistance. Therefore, the instability of B. phoenicis resistance to hexythiazox can be exploited in resistance management programs.