Innovative Push-Pull Control of Spotted Wing Drosophila, an Invasive Pest of Fruit Crops (SWDP-P)

英国的浆果产量在2021年为经济贡献了6.29亿GB，在10年内增加了三分之一的收入。浆果生产对人类健康也是至关重要的，因为高价值和高质量的水果提供了一系列抗氧化剂、维生素和纤维。然而，浆果生产面临着与一系列新出现的和不断增加的害虫和疾病有关的生产挑战。全球软果产业因一种入侵的果蝇--斑点果蝇(SWD)而遭受严重的农作物损失。SWD在果实收获前产卵，造成高达80%的作物损失。在英国、欧洲和美国，社署控制的潜在市场为110亿GB。高价值作物，如草莓、樱桃、蓝莓、黑莓和覆盆子，都依赖化学杀虫剂来保护它们免受SWD的侵害。在以前的工作中，我们已经确定了一种可用于社署的驱避剂和一个诱捕系统来清除果树上的SWD。在这个项目中，我们将在“推-拉”策略中测试这两种方法的组合；在水果收获之前，“推”出作物并将其“拉”出作物，以减少对水果的直接损害。我们的方法是一种更具针对性和较少破坏环境的方法，以控制社署。我们将首先在商业草莓作物中与两个主要的英国水果种植者测试我们的推拉系统，然后我们将开始在对社署更具吸引力的作物上进行测试，如树莓。社署将量化减少水果损害，并将对有益昆虫的影响降至最低。同时，将开发新的可生物降解的驱避剂配方，进一步改善诱捕器中的诱饵，优化驱避剂和诱捕器的部署模式。这种推拉策略将是这种全球害虫的第一次，并使果农能够通过减少杀虫剂的使用和可销售水果中的残留，减少劳动力投入，促进净零增长，以经济高效和可持续的方式提高生产率。该项目将由英国最大的病虫害生物防治方法生产商Russell IPM领导，该公司将利用这一潜在改变社署游戏规则的解决方案。两家主要的英国种植商，Rumwood Green Farm Ltd.和WB Chambers and Son，将提供设施和劳动力进行田间试验。学术合作伙伴是NIAB，他们是应用社署研究的世界领先者，NRI，格林威治大学，将与罗素合作开发新的引诱剂和驱避剂配方。

UK berry production contributed £629M to the economy in 2021, increasing income by a third within 10 years. Berry production is also essential for human health as high-value and high-quality fruits provide a range of antioxidants, vitamins and fibre. However, berry production faces challenges in production related to a range of emerging and increasing pests and diseases. The global soft fruit industry suffers significant crop losses from an invasive fruit fly, spotted wing drosophila (SWD). SWD lays eggs in fruit before it is harvested, causing up to 80% crop loss. The potential market in the UK, Europe and USA for SWD control is £11bn. High value crops like strawberry, cherries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries, are reliant on chemical insecticides to protect them from SWD.In previous work, we have already identified a candidate repellent for SWD and a trapping system to remove SWD from fruit crops. In this project we will test a combination of these two approaches in a 'push-pull' strategy; 'pushing' SWD out of the crop and 'pulling' it away from the crop to reduce direct damage to fruits before they are harvested. Our approach is a more targeted and less environmentally damaging method to SWD control. We will first test our push-pull system with two major English fruit growers in commercial strawberry crops and we will begin to test on crops even more attractive to SWD, like raspberry. Reduction in fruit damage by SWD will be quantified and effects on beneficial insects minimised. In parallel work, novel biodegradable formulations of the repellent will be developed, lures in the traps further improved and deployment patterns for both repellent and traps optimised.This push-pull strategy will be a first for this global pest and enable fruit growers to improve productivity cost-effectively and sustainably by reducing insecticide applications and residues in saleable fruit, reducing labour inputs, and contributing to the progression to net zero. The project will be led by Russell IPM, the UK's largest producer of biorational approaches to control of pests and diseases who will exploit this potentially game-changing solution to SWD. Two major English growers, Rumwood Green Farms Ltd. and WB Chambers and Son, will provide facilities and labour for carrying out field trials. Academic partners are NIAB who are world leaders in applied SWD research, and NRI, University of Greenwich, will work with Russell to develop new attractants and repellent formulations.