| Authors: |
Baser, Nuray1 (AUTHOR) baser@iamb.it, Rossini, Luca2 (AUTHOR) luca.rossini@ulb.be, Anfora, Gianfranco3 (AUTHOR) gianfranco.anfora@unitn.it, Temel, Kürşat Mustafa1 (AUTHOR) kursat.temel51@gmail.com, Gualano, Stefania1 (AUTHOR) gualano@iamb.it, Garone, Emanuele2 (AUTHOR) emanuele.garone@ulb.be, Santoro, Franco1 (AUTHOR) fsantoro@iamb.it |
| Abstract: |
Simple Summary: Exploring insects' biology through growth chamber experiments is a common practice that provides quantitative information on the stage-response of the species to external factors. Those experiments are commonly indicated as "Life tables studies" and provide for rearing a cohort of eggs under different conditions of temperature, relative humidity, diet, and photoperiod, to cite some examples. Tracking the life history of the individuals, it is possible to assess how the growth conditions affect the stage-development time, the stage-mortality, and the reproduction rate (egg production, pre-oviposition period, and coupling). Besides the biological knowledge, the quantitative information resulting from life table studies allows the parameter estimation of physiologically-based models. For this reason, life table studies are widely applied to insect pests, and they represent a piece of fundamental knowledge that can potentially drive integrated management programmes. This study explored the thermal response of Drosophila suzukii, an injurious insect pest present in many countries worldwide, at different controlled conditions. This species is responsible for several economic losses in soft fruit cultivations, develops on ripening fruits, and has the capability to quickly adapt to new territories and climates, closing multiple generations per year. Given its high invasive potential and the increasing need for low-impact control strategies, an in-depth exploration of the biology of this species and of the stage thermal response is fundamental. Specimens of an Italian strain from Apulia were reared in growth chambers at different constant temperatures (6, 9, 13, 18, 20, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32 and 33 °C). The life cycle of each specimen was individually tracked from the egg to the death of the adults, considering the larval stages distinction as well. Besides development and mortality, egg production over temperature has been recorded. The dataset was first analysed according to life tables studies; then, we also estimated the biological parameters of the most common equations describing development, mortality, and fertility involved in physiologically-based model applications. The results confirmed and extended the information on the thermal response already present in the literature, but with reference to a population adapted to warmer climates. The species successfully developed from egg to adult at 13–29 °C, while between 6–9 and 29–33 °C the development was limited to L2/L3 stages. Optimal temperatures are around 26–28 °C, depending on the life stage. This study provides one of the complete overviews of the thermal response of D. suzukii, which is available in the current literature, and opens the door to more accurate modelling frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
