title: Oviposition efficacy of Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) on different cultivars of blueberry.
abstract: Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) is an important pest of thin-skinned fruits including blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, and cherry. Blueberry was introduced into Japan in the 1950s, and severe economic losses attributable to D. suzukii were first reported in 2002. The objective of this study was to elucidate whether oviposition behavior varies among blueberry cultivars having different firmness of fruit. Fruit firmness in 12 cultivars of highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) and rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium virgatum Aiton) was determined using a rheometer. More eggs tended to be laid in berries of cultivars possessing softer fruits than in those having firmer fruits. Choice tests, where one female was allowed to oviposit on blueberry fruits with different firmness, showed that softer fruits were more vulnerable to D. suzukii females than firmer fruits.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 3-5-8 Saiwai-cho, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirotoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kinjo
authors.forename: Yasuhisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kunimi
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ban
authors.forename: Madoka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D029798:Blueberry Plants / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D004330:Drosophila / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D007564:Japan; D010058:Oviposition; D013045:Species Specificity