South Africa Wine Research Projects 2025

2. VITICULTURE RESEARCH NEW PROJECT

2.1 GRAPEVINE PROTECTION – INSECTS AND PESTS

RISK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR DROSOPHILA SUZUKII TO INFORM MANAGEMENT DECISIONS AT DIFFERENT SPATIAL SCALES

SU EE PA 25-01 Prof Pia Addison, Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Stellenbosch University Start date: 2025

AIM AND INDUSTRY RELEVANCE: Unlike other Drosophilidae (vinegar flies), Drosophila suzukii or Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) females can cause significant damage to soft-skinned fruit such as wine- and table grapes, stone fruit and soft berries like blue- and raspberries due to the ability to damage healthy and undamaged fruit by using a serrated ovipositor and lay their eggs. Due to a lack of knowledge of the risk SWD poses to the fruit industry, this project aims to develop a risk management system to assist the fruit industry in decision-making on a geographical scale. The project will generate new information on the fruit/cultivar/variety susceptibilities to SWD and determine alternate host status, distribution and phenology in production areas. GIS and Data CoOp integration will bring about regular, up-to-date risk maps after demographic changes of SWD in different fruit and cultivar types and climates are monitored.

4

SOUTH AFRICA WINE RESEARCH 2025