Insects and budding yeasts often have close and complex associations. For example, insects disperse yeast and, in turn, some of the yeasts are consumed as a source of amino acids and nutrients. Many Drosophila spp. are understood to have strong mutualistic associations with the yeast communities that best support their growth and survival. Spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, is a globally important insect pest of soft-skinned fruit crops. D. suzukii larvae and adults feed upon yeasts, among which Hanseniaspora uvarum is the most frequently isolated from larval frass and adult midguts. H. uvarum is a relatively ubiquitous yeast that is commonly isolated from mature fruits, early stages of wine fermentation, fermentative spoilage, and Drosophila spp. Given that it ferments glucose and some strains produce yeast-killer toxins that provide a competitive advantage, H. uvarum is well adapted for early colonization of fruit. D. suzukii adult females are attracted to volatile organic compounds derived from yeasts, and exhibit high attraction to H. uvarum. Therefore, D. suzukii-yeast interactions may be used to improve pest monitoring and develop novel attractants. Additionally, D. suzukii-yeast interactions provide innovative targets for developing sustainable pest management tactics including development of behavioral manipulation, phagostimulants, and RNAi biotechnology.

Drosophila suzukii-yeast interactions: Applications for pest management

252nd National Meeting (2016)

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