FRI, MAR 29 2024
6:19:37
- Author: Mark Bolda
Published on: July 26, 2009
Several strawberry growers have identified a consistent pattern to spotted wing drosophilid infestation in strawberry.
Spotted wing drosophilid apparently lays eggs beneath the skin of the fruit, and after a few days the eggs hatch. As the larvae develop, a soft area at the area of infestation develops. There is no hole apparent in the fruit, see close up in first photo below, but the bruise and softening are quite apparent, and many pickers should be able to identify these fruits as culls.
On taking several samples of these fruit, and on cutting open the bruise, one finds from one to two larvae as in the second photo below.
No Comments Posted.
Leave a Reply: