The role of microbiome in host plant colonization and foraging of agricultural pests















Invasive fly pests present global challenges to fruit and vegetable production. Particularly, the Drosophilid Drosophila suzukii (the spotted winged Drosophila) and the Tephritid Ceratitis capitata (the Mediterranean fruit fly) cause serious crop damages and are major concerns for growers. Current controls rely on heavy use of chemical insecticides, which is not environmentally sustainable. 
We believe the microbiome offers some promising opportunities to develop novel tools to control invasive flies. Laboratory studies in Drosophila melanogaster and medfly showed that the gut microbiome is crucial for larval development and can affect host foraging and reproduction, all important parameters for pest invasion and establishment. Interestingly, microbiome composition for these polyphagous flies varies by host diets, signifying that the microbiome may help the host coping with dietary changes. The question is how the fly-microbe interactions facilitate colonization of host plants, thus establishment of invasive pests in new areas. We are currently leveraging omics and molecular genetics techniques to characterize the functions of the microbiome in flies fed on different host fruits. We also collaborate with scientists from the USDA ARS to identify microbiome-derived volatiles with semiochemical potential for the fly pests. Our long-term goal is to leverage the knowledge of fly-microbe interactions to develop effective and sustainable strategies to manage invasive fly pests.