UK: Integrated approach key to controlling spotted wing drosophila
The four-year project, which started last month, is being funded by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), and led by NIAB EMR.
It follows an initial research project which identified that spotted wing drosophila (SWD) will not be controlled by any one method alone, and future control will depend on an integrated approach using biological and novel methods, while reducing populations in and around crops.
Adult male SWD (c) NIAB EMR
Control methods will need to be compatible with a production system that maintains high levels of crop hygiene.
Further research is therefore essential to develop integrated control strategies and the new research programme will continue the national monitoring of pest populations in England and Scotland, with the aim of increasing the understanding of habitat preferences.
The use of repellents and attract and kill strategies will be investigated, along with bait sprays for control, use of exclusion netting, and studies to prolong spray intervals to reduce spray applications while maximising their effect.
The research findings will be integrated to design an effective year-round strategy for UK crops.
Dr Rachel McGauley, crop production systems scientist at AHDB, said: “This project will use the findings we have made from the initial research project which finished in March this year to develop several novel management strategies which can be integrated with traditional control methods.”
“Ultimately the aim is to provide growers with a wide range of control methods which will ensure the long-term viability of soft and stone fruit production, in spite of the continuing presence of SWD.”
Marion Regan, Hugh Lowe Farms, said: “Spotted wing drosophila remains the most serious threat to the soft and stone fruit industry that we have encountered in my lifetime.”
“A concerted industry effort has gone into research since the pest was identified in 2012 and we have learned a great deal about the pest’s behaviour in the UK and the best control options currently available. It is essential however that AHDB continues to use grower levy money to extend our quest to develop new and improved control techniques.”
A new factsheet offering growers guidance on SWD has been published by AHDB. It collates all current best practice knowledge with the latest results generated from the industry-funded research project SF 145 which concluded in March 2017.
Scott Raffle, knowledge exchange manager at AHDB, said: “We have learned a huge amount about how SWD behaves in UK conditions from the latest research findings. Working closely with the soft and stone fruit industry through the SWD Industry Working Group we have produced a wealth of resources based on the research results to help growers in the UK better manage and control the pest, including best practice videos, factsheets, guides and posters. These are all available on our website.”
Growers can download the new factsheet ‘06/17 Management and control of spotted wing drosophila’ by visiting horticulture.ahdb.org.uk/swd