Spotted Wing Drosophila, a well-known pest that infests ripe, ready-to-eat fruit, poses a significant threat to farmers because it is very difficult to control with standard pesticides. A new approach to tackling this pest involves manipulating the behavior of these insects by disguising healthy fruit as if it were infected with an unappealing pathogen.
By studying the specific odors emitted by infected fruit, researchers have identified the chemicals that repel the flies when applied to healthy fruit and are developing a slow-release device to disperse these fruity odors in the field, ensuring that they do not come into direct contact with the fruit. This method provides a new tool to help farmers protect their crops without relying exclusively on insecticides.
The study conducted between Yantai and Lhasa (China) identified and examined the ERF group of the sweet cherry in terms of classification, physicochemical properties, structure characteristics, chromosome distribution, gene replication and possible protein interactions.
South Africa’s cherry season launches with a 2025 campaign built on emotion, lifestyle and premium quality. By emphasising seasonality, wellness appeal, freshness and social content, the industry aims to make cherries the summer hero. An invitation to boost digital engagement.
Sweet cherry nutrition and fruit quality: studies from Chile, USA, Spain and other countries show how nitrogen, potassium, calcium, boron, phosphorus and magnesium affect fruit size, firmness, soluble solids, color, cracking and postharvest storage performance.
The velvet longhorned beetle, Trichoferus campestris, is an invasive wood-boring beetle detected in Utah, Illinois, Minnesota and other US states. It can infest dry wood and many tree hosts, including apple, cherry and peach, while its long-term impact remains uncertain.