scholarly journals Short communication: Laboratory evaluation of nine highbush blueberry cultivars susceptibility to Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura, 1931) in the Southwestern Spain

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. e10SC03
Author(s):  
José M. Molina ◽  
Laura Avivar ◽  
Sergio Pérez-Guerrero

Aim of study:  To determine how susceptible the most used Southern highbush blueberry (SHB) cultivars were to the spotted wing Drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura, 1931) (Diptera: Drosophilidae) as well as those recently introduced to Southwestern Spain.Area of study: Southwestern Spain (Huelva province).Material and methods: Nine of the SHB cultivars which were recently introduced in Southwestern Spain and the most used ones were selected: ‘Arana’, ‘Camellia’, ‘Kirra’, ‘Mayra’, ‘Misty’, ‘O'Neal’, ‘Sharpblue’, ‘Star’ and ‘Ventura’. In order to determine how susceptible the cultivars were to SWD, no-choice tests were performed under laboratory conditions. In addition, berry size, berry firmness, ºBrix, and pH were recorded in order to assess what influence these variables had on oviposition preference by SWD.Main results: Mean clutch size and mean number of emerged adults in ‘Star’ were significantly higher than in the other tested cultivars. ‘Mayra’, ‘Camellia’ and ‘Ventura’ received the lower clutch sizes and mean number of emerged adults. Mean developmental time (egg to adult) differed significantly among tested cultivars and were highest in ‘Camellia’ than in the other tested cultivars.  Only firmness and pH were correlated with SWD infestation as SWD females tend to oviposit more eggs in softer fruits than in firmer fruits. Results also showed that a higher pH increased the emergence of adults and shortened the egg to adult developmental time.Research highlights: Our results showed significant differences in the susceptibility of SHB to SWD. This information may help design IPM programs and in making recommendations for blueberry crops as planting of low-chill cultivars expands.

Insects ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dasia S. Harmon ◽  
Muhammad Haseeb ◽  
Lambert H. B. Kanga ◽  
Oscar E. Liburd

Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is an invasive insect pest that was detected in Florida in August 2009 in Hillsborough County. Very limited information is available for berry growers to properly detect and monitor this serious pest in southern highbush blueberry (hybrids of Vaccinium corymbosum L. × V. darrowi Camp), rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium virgatum L.), and blackberry (Rubus fruticosus L.) production systems. We compared several D. suzukii traps and lures/baits at two sites in Florida. The traps evaluated included Trécé, Scentry, and a standard homemade cup trap. These traps were compared with various baits and lures, including Trécé lure, Scentry lure, yeast bait, and Suzukii trap, under Florida production systems. Early detection is important to develop an effective monitoring system so management action can be taken before economic damage occurs. Data were recorded as overall trends, as well as in 4–5 trapping periods from early to late season. Overall, the Scentry trap baited with Scentry lure, the Trécé trap baited with Trécé lure + yeast, and the Trécé trap baited with Scentry lure were the best performing traps. Yeast-based traps were also attractive to D. suzukii early in the season, but they did not provide consistent captures as the season progressed. The Scentry trap with yeast bait, the Scentry trap with Scentry lure, the Trécé trap with Trécé lure + yeast bait, and a cup trap with yeast bait caught most of the flies during the first trapping period in 2015 and 2016 in the rabbiteye blueberry. In the southern highbush blueberry, the population of D. suzukii was much lower than in the rabbiteye blueberry planting, and the Scentry trap with Scentry lure captured the highest number of flies during the first trapping period in 2016. In the blackberry, the Scentry trap with Scentry lure numerically had the highest captures during the first trapping period, but this was not significantly different from the cup trap with yeast bait, the Trécé trap baited with Suzukii trap, and the Trécé trap with Trécé lure. Overall, the Scentry trap with Scentry lure was the most consistent trap that captured D. suzukii flies throughout the season in the three production systems—rabbiteye blueberry, southern highbush blueberry, and blackberry. Growers in low pressure systems that are similar to Florida can use the Scentry trap with Scentry lure to monitor D. suzukii populations.


HortScience ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 42 (7) ◽  
pp. 1612-1615 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey G. Williamson ◽  
D. Scott NeSmith

Greenhouse and field experiments were conducted to determine the effects of the growth regulator N-(2-chloro-4-pyridyl)-N′-phenylurea (CPPU) on fruit set, berry size, and yield of southern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum hybrids). The experiments were conducted over a period of several years in Georgia and Florida. CPPU sprays were capable of increasing fruit set and berry weight of southern highbush blueberry, although the responses to CPPU treatment were variable and appeared to be influenced by factors such as rate, spray timing, and cultivar. In Florida, high natural fruit set may have prevented increased fruit set from CPPU. A slight delay in berry maturity was noted in several experiments. Spray burn occurred on several occasions and may be related to factors such as cultivar, rate, spray volume, and use of surfactant.


2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 382-394
Author(s):  
Colin R Morrison ◽  
Clément Aubert ◽  
Donald M Windsor

Abstract Specialized interactions between insects and the plants that they consume are one of the most ubiquitous and consequential ecological associations on the plant. Decades of investigation suggest that a narrow diet favors an individual phytophagous insect’s performance relative to a dietary generalist. However, this body of research has tended to approach questions of diet breadth and host usage from the perspective of temperate plant–insect associations. Relationships between diet breadth, host usage, and variation in tropical insect preference and performance remain largely uninvestigated. Here we characterize how variation in diet breadth and host usage affect oviposition preference, development, survival, and gain in mass of a Neotropical tortoise beetle Chelymorpha alternans Boheman 1854 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), using a split-brood, sibling experimental design. Host performance was measured after splitting broods among four no-choice host diets. Groups consuming single hosts varied among themselves in developmental time and survival from larva to adult. Performance did not vary among groups consuming multiple and single hosts. Oviposition preference was measured in choice and no-choice tests. Females displayed preference for the original host in both experiments. Developmental time and survival of offspring sourced from the no-choice experiment was measured for two complete generations to explore correlations with female oviposition preference. Preference for the original host correlated with high survivorship and an intermediate developmental time. Survivorship and time to develop were also high on an alternative host that was less preferred. Departures from predictions of prevailing preference–performance hypotheses suggest that host usage presents C. alternans with fitness trade-offs.


1970 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 83-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Saiful Islam ◽  
Fauzia Akhter ◽  
Rezina Laz ◽  
Selina Parween

Seeds of black grams, lentils, Bengal grams and green peas were soaked separately in aqueous solutions of Triflumuron at doses of 0.0 (control), 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 ppm. Three day -old adults of Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) were allowed to oviposit on air-dried, treated or untreated pulses of each type and dose in ‘no-choice' and ‘free-choice' tests. Maximum oviposition occurred in Bengal grams (61.00? 0.25) and green peas (33.67? 0.54) in ‘no-choice' and ‘free-choice' tests, respectively. The beetles avoided egg laying on lentils. Maximum egg-hatching occurred on black grams (>90%) in both tests. Minimum developmental time was required in the Bengal grams (30? 0.5 days in ‘no-choice' test and 31.33? 1.23 days in ‘free-choice' test). No adults emerged from green peas, while 54.79% and 86.15% emergence were recorded from untreated black grams in ‘no-choice' and ‘free-choice' tests, respectively. Triflumuron reduced egg-laying significantly in green peas, where hatchability also reduced significantly to 35.99% at 2 ppm in ‘no-choice' test. Percentage of hatching decreased in all pulses with the increasing doses of triflumuron. No adults emerged from the treated green peas in any test, and at 2 ppm the adult emergence declined to < 50% in all pulses. Implications of these results are further discussed.  Key words: Callosobruchus maculatus, Triflumuron, seed protectant, fecundity, hatchability, developmental period, adult emergence   doi: 10.3329/jbs.v15i0.2207 J. bio-sci. 15: 83-88, 2007


HortScience ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 793A-793
Author(s):  
Jeffrey G. Williamson* ◽  
E. Paul Miller

Poor fruit set and sub-optimum berry size are potential yield- and profit-limiting factors for southern highbush (Vaccinium corymbosum) blueberry production in Florida. The cytokinin N-(2-chloro-4-pyridyl)-N'-phenylurea (CPPU) has increased fruit size and fruit set of a number of fruit crops including rabbiteye blueberry. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of CPPU applied at different rates and phenological stages of bloom and/or fruit development on fruit size, set, and yield of southern highbush blueberry. `Millennia' and `Star' southern highbush blueberry plants located on a commercial blueberry farm in Alachua County, Fla., were treated with 5 or 10 ppm CPPU at various stages of development ranging from full bloom to 20 days after full bloom. In contrast to findings with rabbiteye blueberry, fruit set in this study of southern highbush blueberry was not affected by any of the CPPU treatments when compared to the controls. Nor was total fruit yield affected by CPPU treatments. The most noticeable potential benefit found in this study was an increase in mean fruit fresh weight from CPPU treatments. However, cultivars responded differently to CPPU with respect to mean fruit fresh weight. For `Millennia', only one CPPU treatment increased mean fruit weight compared to controls. However, for `Star', all but one CPPU treatment increased mean fruit fresh weight. Several CPPU treatments resulted in delayed fruit ripening for `Star' but not for `Millennia'. For `Star', the treatments that most consistently delayed fruit ripening tended to have greater fruit fresh weights.


HortScience ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 597E-597
Author(s):  
James B. Magee

The southern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium, mostly corymbosum) cultivars Jubilee, Pearl River, and Magnolia and the rabbiteye cultivars Climax and Premier were stored for 4 weeks at 1-2 °C. Berries were held in pint “clam shell” plastic retail units and were evaluated weekly for physical and compositional quality. As groups, the rabbiteyes were higher in SSC, SSC/TA, glucose and fructose, anthocyanins, and malic, quinic, and succinic acids. `Jubilee' was the southern highbush and `Climax' the rabbiteye least affected by the storage. `Pearl River' and `Magnolia' were less firm and more shriveled than the other cultivars. `Magnolia' had the highest incidence of decay; decay was slight overall.


HortScience ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 55 (5) ◽  
pp. 658-663 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick H. Kingston ◽  
Carolyn F. Scagel ◽  
David R. Bryla ◽  
Bernadine C. Strik

Peat and coir are commonly used for substrate production of highbush blueberry (Vaccinium sp.). Perlite is also typically added to improve drainage and stability of the media. The purpose of the present study was to determine how various combinations of each affect growth and nutrition in highbush blueberry. Two cultivars, ‘Liberty’ northern highbush blueberry (V. corymbosum L.) and ‘Jewel’ southern highbush blueberry (interspecific hybrid of V. corymbosum L. and V. darrowii Camp.), were grown for 3 months in media containing 0%, 10%, 20%, or 30% perlite, by volume, and a 1:0, 2:1, 1:2, or 0:1 ratio of peat and coir. At 95 days after transplanting, total dry weight of the ‘Liberty’ plants was greatest in pure peat and progressively less as more coir or perlite was added to the media. Total dry weight of ‘Jewel’ also declined with increasing amounts of perlite but, in this case, was unaffected by the ratio of peat and coir. The response of the plants to perlite did not appear to be a function of pH or nutrition and was most likely related to the effects of perlite on media water relations. Response to peat and coir, on the other hand, may have been due to nutrition and salinity of the media. In both cultivars, a higher amount of peat in the media improved uptake of N, P, Mg, and S and decreased uptake of K, B, Zn, and Na. Coir, on the other hand, contained higher concentrations of Na and Cl than peat. These findings suggest that the use of high amounts of perlite in the media could be detrimental when growing highbush blueberry in substrate, and some cultivars may grow better in peat than in coir.


HortScience ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 25 (8) ◽  
pp. 862e-862
Author(s):  
C. L. Gupton ◽  
J. M. Spiers ◽  
A. D. Draper

Eight clones with various Vaccinium species in their background were evaluated to determine their potential for improving fruit characteristics in the southern highbush blueberry. One clone was crossed with each of the others to produce seven sets of progenies which were evaluated with the parent clones. Heritability estimates were computed as the regression of progeny on parental means for each character. The progenies ranged from small to average berry size and weight, were above average for picking scar, and were generally less than average for color, firmness, and flavor. Mean of progenies was not significantly different from the parental mean for any character. Very high (0.45-0.85) heritability estimates were found for each character except berry firmness (0.22). These results suggest that considerable improvement in each character except possibly berry firmness should result from phenotypic recurrent selection in a broad based population involving these parents.


Author(s):  
Kent M. Daane ◽  
Xingeng Wang ◽  
Brian N. Hogg ◽  
Antonio Biondi

AbstractAsobara japonica (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), Ganaspis brasiliensis and Leptopilina japonica (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) are Asian larval parasitoids of spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae). This study evaluated these parasitoids’ capacity to attack and develop from 24 non-target drosophilid species. Results showed that all three parasitoids were able to parasitize host larvae of multiple non-target species in artificial diet; A. japonica developed from 19 tested host species, regardless of the phylogenetic position of the host species, L. japonica developed from 11 tested species; and G. brasiliensis developed from only four of the exposed species. Success rate of parasitism (i.e., the probability that an adult wasp successfully emerged from a parasitized host) by the two figitid parasitoids was low in hosts other than the three species in the melanogaster group (D. melanogaster, D. simulans, and D. suzukii). The failure of the figitids to develop in most of the tested host species appears to correspond with more frequent encapsulation of the parasitoids by the hosts. The results indicate that G. brasiliensis is the most host specific to D. suzukii, L. japonica attacks mainly species in the melanogaster group and A. japonica is a generalist, at least physiologically. Overall, the developmental time of the parasitoids increased with the host’s developmental time. The body size of female A. japonica (as a model species) was positively related to host size, and mature egg load of female wasps increased with female body size. We discuss the use of these parasitoids for classical biological control of D. suzukii.


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