Erythritol sprays reduce Drosophila suzukii infestation without impacting honey bee visitation nor fruit quality

BACKGROUND Spotted‐wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, is an economic pest of small fruits and cherries. Insecticides primarily control this pest while alternative controls are in development. Laboratory studies show that erythritol is insecticidal to D. suzukii and other pests while approved for human consumption. Moreover, erythritol combined with sucrose or non‐caloric sucralose can stimulate feeding and quicken mortality. Before growers can use erythritol, the impact on crop protection, non‐target insects, and fruit quality need evaluation. RESULTS In three blueberry and cherry field cage trials, oviposition on fruit sprayed with erythritol:sucrose or erythritol:sucralose formulations was lowered by 59%–81% compared with unsprayed controls. Fly infestation (larval or adult counts from fruit) was 90% lower in a greenhouse blueberry trial, and 49% lower in an open field blueberry trial with 2 m erythritol : 0.5 m sucrose. Infestation was also 57% lower in an open field cherry trial with 1.5 m erythritol:0.5 m sucrose. Other field trials with very low pest pressure or frequent rains revealed no differences from controls. Field trials consistently revealed that honey bees did not preferentially visit plants sprayed with either erythritol formulation, although yellow jackets visited plants sprayed with erythritol:sucrose more frequently. Erythritol formulations consistently led to more leaf spotting, but there was no reduction in the quality of treated blueberries or cherries in terms of mold development, firmness, diameter, epidermal penetration force, and Brix° (total soluble solids) at harvest. CONCLUSION Eleven trials conducted over four years show that erythritol formulations can reduce D. suzukii pressure without attracting foraging honey bees nor negatively impacting fruit quality. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA. Erythritol is a toxic to spotted‐wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, a pest of small fruits and cherries. Eleven trials conducted over four years show that erythritol formulations can reduce D. suzukii pressure without attracting foraging honey bees nor negatively impacting fruit quality (firmness, skin penetration, Brix°, mold at harvest).