Response of Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) to non-host fruit volatile compounds

The spotted wing Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is a polyphagous insect, considered one of the main pests of berries and other soft-skinned fruits worldwide. Unlike most of its sister species, such as D. melanogaster, D. suzukii prefers fresh fruit over rotting fruits for oviposition. Recent studies indicate that female D. suzukii are more attracted to fresh fruit volatiles, which trigger oviposition behavior. Because of this behavior change, a series of compounds extracted from fruits have been identified and evaluated for use as bait for better capture of the insect against those that had been commonly used before produced through processes of fermentation. Based on this, we analyzed two non-host fruits, banana (Musa paradisiaca) and orange (Citrus sinensis), as potential food bait to attract D. suzukii and compared them with merlot wine and apple cider vinegar. The results in the field showed greater D. suzukii capture by banana, orange and wine than by vinegar, which is commonly used in monitoring this pest. However, in the laboratory wine was statistically more attractive than the other baits. In addition, we identified a series of compounds that had not been reported in fruits, extracts or products of fermentation, indicating that there are compounds in non-host fruits that are potentially attractive with possible antennal activity. Our study can contribute to understanding which compounds are involved in attraction behavior of the spotted wing fly.