Improvement of Drosophila Suzukii Mass-Rearing and Released Methods for SIT Programmes

The invasive spotted wing drosophila, an insect pest that recently invaded most parts of the world, is a major pest of soft fruits. The application of an environmentally friendly method, such as the sterile insect technique (SIT), is especially important in greenhouses where the biocontrol methods in use are not compatible with the insecticide application. This CRP should focus on the improvement of the sterile insect technique (SIT) package to support field implementation against Drosophila suzukii.The objective is to identify and overcome constraints of implementing SIT with other complementary techniques. The background information required for SIT, such as mass-rearing and radiation biology, has been developed under CRP D43003. However, scale up for implementation needs to be developed to ensure the success of SIT programmes against D. suzukii. This research is expected to further advance the application of the SIT against Drosophila suzukii,The expected outcome would be that the SIT and compatible control methods are being implemented and used by member states as appropriate to reduce crop losses and pesticide residues in food.