Exploring the potential of 2-pentylfuran as a behavioral control tool against spotted-wing drosophila

A new repellent, 2-pentylfuran (2PF), has the potential to be used as a tool to control the behavior of Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD), which is a major pest of various soft-skinned fruit crops worldwide. We initially tested the efficacy of 2PF under open field conditions using isolated, replicated plotsof raspberry (3 rows by 7 m) for the summer crop when SWD densities were too low. For the fall crop, when SWD densities were much higher, we randomly assigned 2-PF puffers on one end and control on the other end of all three rows within a plot and replicated among multiple plots. We assessed the SWD infestations and also monitored the abundance of natural enemies using yellow sticky cards and visual sampling. Although we found numerically fewer SWDlarvae per berry from 2PF treatment plots relative to control plots, this difference was not statistically significant. Furthermore, we found that 2PF did not have any significant effect on the activity of natural enemies, except for minute pirate bugs. The efficacy of 2PF using puffers may have been compromised by various constraints, such as volatility, wind direction, and insufficient puffer density, to maintain a high concentration of 2PF to repel SWD behavior. Therefore, further investigation is necessary to identify effective and cost-efficient dispensing tools to enhance the efficacy of 2PF in the field. In our future research, we plan to explore different deployment tools for 2PF in combination with other control measures, such as insecticides, as well as investigate how 2PF affects SWD behavior.