The Biobío Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) calls on cherry and berry producers to find out about the measures to be applied against the presence of the plague Drosophila suzukii or spotted wing fly, a pest present in the region since March of 2018.

“There is concern of the residents of the province of Biobío, who have made complaints about this situation in our offices, determining the presence of the spotted wing fly, so we are reinforcing this information with the municipalities so that they can support through PRODESAL - INDAP to producers on this pest detected for the first time in our country in 2017 in the region of La Araucanía ”, said Iván Ramírez Delpín, Regional Director of SAG de Biobío.

In this sense, the manager explained that the spotted wing Drosophila is considered a present pest that attacks a wide range of fruit crops, as well as a growing number of wild fruits. (Resolution SAG N ° 1943/2019). In the regions of Ñuble, Biobío, La Araucanía, Los Ríos and Los Lagos, according to SAG records, it has a wide distribution.

Regarding preventive measures, he pointed out that internationally it is suggested that there be an integrated management of the pest, which implies that chemical applications are made at specific times in case of detections of specimens of the spotted wing fly, in addition to cleaning the orchard, elimination of weeds that could be plague hosts, good irrigation management, among other actions, which are indicated on the SAG website www.sag.cl

"In the orchards or farms where there are host crops for the insect as well as the collection and destruction by burial of fallen and unharvested fruits, cleaning of the soil surface, application of insecticide to the soil under the crown of each plant and / or tree, pruning of plants and / or trees to eliminate possible places of refuge for the plague, among others ”, highlighted the SAG director.

Likewise, it specified that it is the responsibility of the producers, tenants, holders or administrators of orchards of cultivated species, to carry out Integrated Management measures to control the pest.

Spotted wing fly

This pest differs from most of the species of its genus - commonly known as "vinegar flies", which are not pests, because they infest overripe, fallen or fermented fruit, it oviposits in healthy fruits that They are in a ripe state and preferably have soft and thin epidermis.

Later, their larvae develop and feed on the pulp of the fruit, causing it to become unmarketable. This pest has shown to have a rapid expansion, a typically high fertility and a short life cycle, which, added to the availability of hosts and the climatic conditions of our country, allow to have adequate conditions for its establishment.