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
10 Jun 2024
The selection of these interspecific rootstocks was made on basis of the induced tree vigor and tolerance to environmental stresses like drought, flooding, frost and pH content of soil. At present seven Krymsk rootstocks have been patented and have been commercially released.
15 Dec 2025
Seaweed-based biostimulants help cherry trees produce more high-quality fruit, support growth and improve tolerance to environmental stress. The article outlines effective strategies to enhance cherry production during key stages of the growing cycle.
29 Jul 2026
UPA-UCE and Asaja urge the Extremadura government to launch an emergency plan for cherry growers in northern Cáceres after storms caused losses above €20 million, destroyed harvests, cut farm income below production costs and exposed major gaps in crop insurance today.
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In the United Kingdom, BeeSAM2 combines artificial intelligence and computer vision to detect bee visits to cherry blossoms with high accuracy, reducing manual analysis while improving research into pollination, fruit set, crop stability and orchard productivity.
