In Catalonia, an innovative strategy for biological control is taking shape against one of the most serious threats to European fruit growing. The Catalan Department of Agriculture (DARP), in collaboration with IRTA, has launched the first field release of the parasitoid Ganaspis kimorum, an insect specifically selected to counter the spread of Drosophila suzukii, also known as the spotted wing drosophila.
First detected in Europe in 2008, this invasive insect of Asian origin has had a devastating impact on soft fruit crops such as cherries, strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries, with increasing damage in recent years. In Catalonia, the presence of D. suzukii was first reported in 2010 and has since continued to challenge local farming operations.
The 2025 season proved particularly critical due to heavy rainfall and high humidity levels, which favored the proliferation of the drosophila. According to data collected by DARP, infestations affected 43% of strawberry-growing areas and 12% of cherry orchards in the monitored zones.
The threat is further compounded by the insect’s distinctive physiology: the serrated ovipositor of females allows them to lay eggs even in healthy, ripe fruit, severely compromising quality and marketability.
Chemical control has proven ineffective in containing high populations of the pest. Moreover, the European regulatory framework—defined by the Green Deal and the “From Farm to Fork” strategy—severely restricts the use of pesticides, pushing institutions and researchers to seek more sustainable alternative solutions.
After years of research and rigorous environmental risk assessments, DARP and IRTA have obtained national authorization to introduce Ganaspis kimorum, a host-specific larval parasitoid that does not cause collateral damage to other species and that, once established, may contribute to the natural control of drosophila populations.
The first releases will take place in agricultural areas with high pest pressure and low use of chemical treatments, in order to encourage the stable establishment of this beneficial species. The operations will be carried out periodically and under controlled conditions, with scientific monitoring dedicated to tracking its dispersion and integration into the ecosystem.
“Authorization to introduce this exotic insect represents an exceptional step, but a necessary one,” says Anna Lekunberri, head of DARP’s Plant Health Service. “We are confident that it can significantly improve the control of Drosophila suzukii.”
For the project coordinators, Jordi Riudavets and Pablo Urbaneja-Bernat, this represents a decisive breakthrough: “Neither insecticides nor protective nets have been able to limit losses. With the parasitoid Ganaspis kimorum, a new pathway opens toward more stable and sustainable biological control.”
The introduction of this natural enemy could mark a turning point for the competitiveness of soft fruit production in Catalonia and, in the future, also for other European regions affected by drosophila.
Source: valenciafruits.com
Image source: IRTA
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