Increased sugar valuation contributes to the evolutionary shift in egg-laying behavior of the fruit pest Drosophila suzukii.

ABSTRACT: Behavior evolution can promote the emergence of agricultural pests by changing their ecological niche. For example, the insect pest Drosophila suzukii has shifted its oviposition (egg-laying) niche from fermented fruits to ripe, non-fermented fruits, causing significant damage to a wide range of fruit crops worldwide. We investigate the chemosensory changes underlying this evolutionary shift and ask whether fruit sugars, which are depleted during fermentation, are important gustatory cues that direct D. suzukii oviposition to sweet, ripe fruits. We show that D. suzukii has expanded its range of oviposition responses to lower sugar concentrations than the model D. melanogaster, which prefers to lay eggs on fermented fruit. The increased response of D. suzukii to sugar correlates with an inc

SUBMITTER: Cavey M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10735178 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature