Abstract
Drosophila suzukii is an invasive pest species that feeds on yeast-laden fruits and is attracted to fermentation products. In nature, numerous yeast species are associated with Drosophila suzukii. Yeasts constitute a food source and produce volatile compounds attractive to the fly. The production of attractants and chemical compounds that stimulate feeding by Drosophila suzukii make the use of yeasts promising for the development of attract-and-kill formulations. In the present work, the efficacy and the persistence over a one-week period of a yeast-based attract-and-kill formulation was evaluated treating grape plants in a greenhouse. The efficacy was assessed by measuring the survival and oviposition rate of Drosophila suzukii. The concentrations or presence/absence of potential feeding stimulants and attractants were assessed by quantitative measurement of carbohydrates, sugar alcohols, amino acids, and volatile compounds. Results show that the formulation was still effective and that some of the chemical compounds monitored were still present on the surface of treated leaves one week after treatment, though changes in the chemical profiles were observed over this period.