Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Vineland, Ontario, Canada
The behavior of spotted wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) can be manipulated by repellent and adverse odors from naturally-occurring compounds, including those from plants. In this presentation, results from laboratory and semi-field experiments with aromatic plants – primarily peppermint and sweet alyssum – and spotted wing drosophila will be reviewed. Interplanting repellent plants in berry crops may help reduce spotted wing drosophila fruit infestation, but larger-scale, field experiments are still needed. In addition, interplanting may attract spotted wing drosophila natural enemies and other beneficial arthropods, thereby increasing its value as a novel approach to pest management in berry crops.
