The spotted wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae), a new berry pest, appeared in Québec in 2010. Damage to unprotected fruit can reach nearly 100%. The project consisted of sterilizing the pest in the laboratory and mass releasing it in crops as a biocontrol method.
From 2014 to 2017
Project duration
Fruit production
Activity areas
Pest, weed, and disease control
Service
This project will lead to better control of the spotted wing drosophila, the country’s most devastating berry pest, which first appeared in Canada in 2006.
Innov'Action | Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec | Natural Resources Canada | Collège Montmorency | Université de Montréal | International Atomic Energy Agency
Scientific article • Annabelle Firlej
Lanouette G., J. Brodeur, F. Fournier, V. Martel, M. Vreysen, C. CaÂceres, A. Firlej. 2017. The sterile insect technique for the management of the spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii: Establishing the optimum irradiation dose. PLOS ONE. 12(9) e0180821. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0180821. DownloadResearch report • Annabelle Firlej
Firlej, A., J. Brodeur, V. Martel, F. Fournier. 2017. Les lâchers d’insectes stériles comme méthode de lutte biologique contre la drosophile à ailes tachetées : protocole de stérilisation, compétitivité des mâles irradiés et lâchers en conditions semi-naturelles. IRDA. 43 p. DownloadVideo • Annabelle Firlej, Élisabeth Ménard, Kim Ostiguy, Célia Bordier
Firlej, A., Menard, E., Ostinguy, K et Bordier, C.. 2022. . DownloadDeveloping a fast and sensitive molecular detection methodology able to accurately identify raspberry and strawberry viruses.
Researchers: Richard Hogue Luc Belzile
This pan-Canadian project conducted in Ontario, Québec, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick focuses on strategies for controlling three key pests in apple production.
Researchers: Daniel Cormier Gérald Chouinard
The aim of our project was to increase the acreage on which mating disruption is used against the codling moth in all of Québec’s apple-growing regions.
Researcher: Daniel Cormier