We developed a simple molecular detection tool that rapidly and accurately identifies Spotted wing Drosophila (SWD) without sophisticated instruments or expertise. We first identified a gene that is present in the SWD genome but not in that of any other insect species. Then, we developed the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay, which was designed based on genomic DNA of SWD specific gene. This LAMP assay detected only genomic DNA from SWD—not from Drosophila melanogaster. In addition, this assay could detect genomic DNA in SWD geographical strains collected from 8 different locations in Asia, Europe, Hawaii, and the USA. Our LAMP assay could be a useful detection tool for identifying SWD rapidly in the field. This work was carried out with the support of the Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science & Technology Development (Project No: PJ0116302016).

The spotted-wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae), is an economically damaging pest that feeds on most thin-skinned fruits. In this study, we sequenced portions of the mitochondrial (mt) COI and ND4 genes from a total of 195 individuals collected mainly from Korea. A total of 139 haplotypes were obtained from the concatenated COI and ND4 sequences. A dataset combining GenBank sequences with our own data identified a total of 94 worldwide COI haplotypes with a maximum sequence divergence of 5.433% (32 bp). A rough estimate of genetic diversity in each country showed higher diversity in ancestral distributional ranges, but the invasion over Asian countries seems to have been substantial because haplotype diversity was only 2.35-3.97-fold lower in the USA, Canada, and Italy than that in the populations ancestral ranges.

The spotted-wing drosophila Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is an Asian species introduced into North America and Europe. It damages a wide variety of thin-skinned fruits. We sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of D. suzukii to better understand the mitogenomic characteristics of this species and understand phylogentic relationships of Drosophila. The 16,230-bp complete mitogenome of the species consists of a typical set of genes, including 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two rRNA genes, and 22 tRNA genes, and one major non-coding A+T-rich region, with an arrangement typical of insects. Twelve PCGs began with the typical ATN codon, whereas the COI began with TCG, which has been designated as the start codon for other Drosophila species. The 1,525-bp A+T-rich region is the second longest in Drosophila species for which the whole mitogenome has been sequenced, after D. melanogaster. Phylogenetic analysis with the 13 PCGs of the Drosophila species using Bayesian Inference and Maximum likelihood methods both placed D. suzukii at the basal lineage of the previously defined Melanogaster group, with a strong support.

Twelve Lamiaceae plant essential oils (EOs) and their components were evaluated for their fumigant and contact toxicities. Inhibition of AChE by the major components of active EOs was also assessed. Strong fumigant toxicity was observed from EOs of Mentha piperita and Perilla frutescens. Menthone and menthol, and perilla aldehyde were identified as major components of the above two EOs, respectively. The LC50 (mg/L) values of M. piperita, P. frutescens, menthone, menthol and perilla aldehyde were 3.87, 2.44, 5.76, 1.88, and 0.99 against male, and 4.10, 3.31, 5.13, 1.94, and 1.15 against female, respectively. Strong contact toxicity was observed from the EOs of Satureja montana and Thymus zygis. Thymol and carvacrol were major components of these two EOs. The LD50 (μg/fly) values for contact toxicity of S. montana, T. zygis, thymol and carvacrol were 2.95, 2.93, 1.63, and 1.30 for male, and 4.59, 5.09, 2.68, and 2.60 for female, respectively. Among the five major components, perilla aldehyde showed most active inhibition activity against AChE of both sexes of SWD.

The spotted-wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae), originally distributed across a few Asian countries, including South Korea, has invaded North America and Europe, but is absent from Australia. In order to export the South Korean grape cultivar Campbell Early to Australia, its potential to serve as oviposition and development medium for SWD must first be determined. In this study, we determined the oviposition and development potential of SWD on Campbell Early, after elucidating the SWD life cycle and establishing an artificial diet-based mass-culturing system. An investigation of the life cycle under five temperature regimes (16, 19, 22, 25, and 28°C) showed that the durations of the egg, larval, and adult stages were shorten when temperature was increased from 16, 19, 22, 25, and 28°C, but pupal duration was shortest at 25°C and extended again at 28°C. A test of oviposition and development potential of SWD on Campbell Early grape clusters showed oviposition of 30.8 ± 6.8 eggs per cluster of injured grapes and 157.7 ± 16.2 eggs on a culture dish of artificial diet. However, in a similar experiment using uninjured grape clusters, only a single egg was deposited on the grape skin, which soon dried. In light of these results, newly harvested grapes left at vineyards during daily harvests are unlikely to serve as an oviposition and development medium for SWD, as long as the grapes remain uninjured.

Spotted wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii, is one of the most harmful pests causing serious damages to blueberries in Northern America and Europe. It is essential to seek alternatives to methyl bromide to ensure dis-infestation of this pest from agricultural products. We investigated the effect of X-ray irradiation (0, 50, 100, 200 and 300 Gy) on development and reproduction of SWD to meet this standard. When eggs were irradiated with the doses, some portion of the eggs hatched even at 300 Gy. The larvae hatched from the irradiated eggs did not pupate at 300 Gy, and they could not develop to adults even at 50 Gy. When larvae were irradiated, they developed up to pupa in some proportion. However above 100 Gy, there was no adult emergence. When pupae were irradiated, some of them emerged to adults. However, the adults could not produce eggs at all above 100 Gy. When adults were irradiated, oviposition occurred normally, but fecundity and hatchability were decreased as irradiation dose went up.

Essential oils from 22 plant species were tested for their insecticidal activities against spotted wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii Matsumura, using fumigation and contact bioassay. Responses varied with the essential oils, their constituents and concentrations. Strong fumigation activities were observed from the essential oils of wintergreen (Gaultheria fragrantissima), croton (Croton anisatum) and star anise (Illicium verum). Strong contact activities were observed in the essential oils of oriental sweetgum (Liquidambar orientalis), cassia (Cinnamomum cassia), damask rose (Rosa damascena) and sandalwood (Santalum album). The compositions of these selected essential oils were identified using gas chromatographymass spectrophotometer. The compounds identified were tested individually for their insecticidal activities against SWD. Responses varied by doses for each compound. The results showed that natural materials are as effective as synthetic pesticides.

Spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, native to eastern and southeastern Asia, has become one of the most harmful pests causing serious damage to fruits such as blueberry, cherry, and others in Northern America and Europe. For quarantine sanitary purpose, methyl bromide (MeBr) has been used for a long time. However, it is under regulation because of its adverse effect of ozone layer depletion. Thus, alternative strategies to MeBr are needed to meet the quarantine requirement. In this study, we investigated effects of gamma ray irradiation (0, 50, 100, 200 and 300 Gy) on the development and reproduction of D. suzukii to offer a guideline in using gamma ray for dis-infestation of this pest. The higher doses of gamma ray caused more adverse effects on development and hatchability of D. suzukii. Development and oviposition of D. suzukii was significantly depressed at above certain doses, respective to each developmental stage. When eggs were treated with the doses of gamma ray, eggs hatched in some ratios at all doses. Even though some larvae developed to pupae under 100 Gy irradiation, all these pupae did not emerge to adults at all doses. When larvae were treated with gamma ray, some of them pupated at each doses. However these pupae did not emerge to adults at all under all doses. When pupae were irradiated, the emerged adults did not oviposit eggs above 100 Gy. When adults were irradiated, oviposition occurred normally, but fecundity and hatchability of the eggs were reciprocal to the doses.

The spotted-wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae), was originally observed in a few Asian countries, but is now found even in North America and Europe. Genetic information on geographic variation and relationship may broaden our understanding of origin and migration. As a first step, in this study, a portion of mitochondrial COI gene was sequenced to understand genetic relationship and diversity in Korea. Sequencing of 104 individuals provided 57 haplotypes, with the maximum sequence divergence of 1.5%, suggesting high haplotype diversity and moderate sequence divergence. Comparison to GenBankregistered D. suzukii haplotypes (possibly from Spain, Portugal, USA) has shown 100% sequence identity to most of the haplotypes found in this study, but two USA sequences were found to be independent haplotypes, with the sequence divergence ranging from 0.5% ~ 1.4% from our samples in the 553-bp comparison. Phylogenetically, no separable group was found, but, population genetically, the only Chinese population, Sandong, was significantly differentiated (p < 0.05) from all Korean populations, without sharing any haplotype. Among 28 pairwise comparisons of Korean populations only two comparisons showed a significant genetic differentiation, indicating that no population in Korea is completely isolated. Geographically, one haplotype (SWDBA06) was relatively widespread (five among nine localities) and a few haplotypes were found in more than one locality, but most haplotypes were restricted in a locality as a single individual. Overall, high rate of per generation female migration (Nm = 0.75 ~ infinite) and low level of geographic separation (FST=0~0.40) among localities were characteristic. Current data is limited mainly to Korean localities, thus, an expanded study may provide further scrutinized analysis for the fly.