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.
Source: USDA
Image: USDA
23 Dec 2025
CSIRO has developed an automated, non-destructive pest detection system for cherries, now ready for use in Australian packhouses. The technology enables real-time inspection, improves export compliance and strengthens biosecurity controls across the supply chain.
06 Dec 2024
China, which buys over 90% of Chilean cherries, received the first sea container last week, and hundreds more are expected to follow. This is the best time for cherry shipments to reach China before the Chinese New Year (CNY) on January 29.
30 Sep 2026
A study from Hannover sheds new light on sweet cherry cracking: malic acid in cherry juice can trigger rapid skin splitting even with limited water uptake, linking the bursting of epidermal cells to the development of visible cracks across the fruit skin in orchards.
30 Sep 2026
A new UK project will use bioacoustic sensors, AI and field trials to measure pollinator activity, improve fruit set, yield and quality, and support more resilient production of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and cherries across commercial farms.
