Laboratory host selection and development of immature Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) on fruits and artificial diets

Abstract

The spotted-wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae), is an important pest of thin-skinned fruits including blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and cherry. In this study, six fruit hosts were chosen (raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, green grapes and red grapes) and used as fruit and artificial diets to evaluate oviposition selection by D. suzukii females in free choice assays and no-choice assays. Also, development and performance of progeny until adult emergence was determined. Overall, D. suzukii females preferred to lay eggs on raspberries rather than green grapes in both tested fruit and artificial diet. Also, larvae that developed in raspberries developed 2-4 days faster than those in red grapes and green grapes, in both no-choice and choice assays for tested fruit and artificial diets. No significant differences were found among tested fruits in both free choice assays for pupal duration. Furthermore, adults complete of the development time 3 days earlier in raspberries rather than green grapes in both choice and no-choice assays for both tested fruit and artificial diets. Results also showed that strawberries, raspberries and blackberries had similar and high proportion of pupal survivorship than green grapes in choice and no-choice assays on tested fruits. Proportion of adults was greater in raspberries than green grapes in both fruits and artificial diets. No significant differences were found among fruits and among artificial diets in proportion of males and females in choice and no-choice assays. It could be concluded that raspberries were more favorable and comfortable host for D. suzukii oviposition and progeny development and performance.