Monitoring of Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura), a pest of fruit crops in the region of Southwestern Bulgaria

Vilina Petrova, Boryana Katinova, Elza Kadijska

Abstract: The Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii Matsumura is an invasive pest species in Europe and the Americas.It is able to feed and reproduce on numerous fruit crops and a wide range of wild host plants. The purpose of the study was to establish the current status of Drosophila suzukii in the region of Southwestern Bulgaria, identify the hosts (cultural and wild) and to deepen the study of pest behavior. The studies were conducted in 2012-2018 in fruit-bearing orchards. Different kind of attractant traps were used to monitor Drosophila suzukii. For the first time in the region of Kyustendil D. suzukii was found in September 2014 in a plum plantation. Its density was found to increase from 2 in 2014 to 2813 in 2018. Most adults were caught in raspberry and plum plantations and significantly lower number in cherries. The multiplication of the pest begins in late summer and it reaches its peak in September.

Keywords: Drosophila suzukii Matsumura; fruit crops; monitoring; Southwestern Bulgaria

Date published: 2020-08-13