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Dr. Claire Dumenil
Postdoc (Assegno di Ricerca) (Sep. 2019 - )
Claire.Dumenil@unibz.it
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Title "Drosophila suzukii management
through yeast-based trapping lures"
I am working on the project DROMYTAL which aim is to develop
an effective pest control strategy for Drosophila
suzukii Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae),
responsible for major commercial losses in small stone fruit
and berry fruit farms and viticulture in many countries.
Female flies lay eggs in ripening fruits on the plant
through a punctured hole in the skin. Larvae feed on the
flesh and the punctured skin is prone to infestations by
microorganisms and other insects, leaving fruits
unmarketable. Controlling this pest is a major challenge
because only insecticide applications fully protect the
fruits. Integrated pest management methods are currently
developed to reduce or suppress residuals of insecticides on
the fruits. One of the alternative sustainable methods is
the manipulation of insect behavior with chemical tools.
Semiochemicals that are specific to D. suzukii can
be utilized to disrupt their attraction to fruits. The
present project consists in the development of an
attract-and-kill tool with a chemical lure which can
selectively attract adults D. suzukii. I will
collect volatile compounds from selected yeasts and
grapevine foliage. Bioactive compounds are located using gas
chromatography- electroantennography on adult flies.
Compounds inducing antennal activity are identified using
gas chromatography- mass spectrometry. Behavioral assays and
field trials will then be performed to test pure compounds
and blends for attraction of both male and female adult
flies. The “attract & kill” system will consist of
localized treatments on vegetative parts of plants (but not
on fruits). Its efficacy will be compared to a conventional
control strategy where insecticides are used. The project
will be done in collaboration with Laimburg Research Centre
and other national and international institutions.
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