Sweet SWD control: non-target effects and field trials with erythritol
Overview
Erythritol is a non-caloric sugar used in artificial sweeteners such as Truvia and is safe for human consumption. Formulations with erythritol have induced mortality among spotted-wing drosophila (SWD) adults in the lab and greenhouse, and reduced infestation rates among fruits in the field. While promising, the erythritol formulation needs to be improved for field application and its non-target effects considered. Recently, we developed two new formulations to reduce the stickiness of sprays