Accelerating Research on Spotted Wing Drosophila Management Using Genomic Technologies

Drosophila suzukii is an invasive species that originated from Southeast Asia, and was first discovered in the continental U.S.A. (Watsonville, CA) in 2008. It has since rapidly spread to become an established pest of fruit crops all over the world. Commonly known as the Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD), this vinegar fly has an enlarged, serrated ovipositor, allowing adult females to penetrate the skin of soft-skinned, ripening fruit and lay eggs inside, where the larvae feed and destroy the fruit. D. suzukii invasions have caused significant crop losses that amounts to millions of dollars annually, and disrupted previously successful integrated management programs on fruit crops. To date, D. suzukii cold resistance studies predict that this species cannot overwinter in northern locations, e.g. Canada, but curiously they are established pests in these regions. Combining physiological investigations with RNA sequencing, we present potential mechanisms by which D. suzukii can overwinter in northern latitudes. This work may contribute to more accurate population models that incorporate seasonal variation in physiological parameters, leading to development of better management strategies to combat this serious pest.