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
18 Jun 2025
The 2025 Dutch cherry season starts with better-performing varieties like Sweet Ariyna and Sweet Lorenz. Uneven yields for Kordia and Regina, but the European market rewards quality with high prices, driven by frost and rain in key producing countries.
29 May 2026
Heat, mild winters and late frosts are pressuring cherry trees in Italy. Shading nets can reduce water stress and thermal damage, but their effect on yield depends on rootstock, vigor, training system, canopy density and orchard management from bloom to post harvest too.
19 Jun 2026
PGPR applied to Gisela 6 rootstock improve rhizosphere fertility, nutrition and root development in sweet cherry. Co-inoculation with Pantoea ananatis D1-28 and Bacillus aryabhattai LAD emerges as a sustainable strategy for efficient roots and more vigorous plants.
19 Jun 2026
Early cherries in California offer strong market potential for growers, but success depends on adapted genetics, protected agriculture and climate risk management to secure fruit quality, consistency and profitability in the San Joaquin Valley, even in unstable seasons.
