Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii, infestation risk to tomatoes

Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD),Drosophila suzukii, an invasive fruit fly originally from Asia, appeared in NY in 2011 and has become of major concern to small fruit growers. Unlike other fruit flies, it has a serrated ovipositor that allows it to penetrate intact fruit and lay eggs often just prior to harvest. The larvae will hatch and develop within the fruit with no initial external damage to the fruit. Current pesticide control measures target the adult but there is great risk of developing resistance; resistance has already been reported on the West Coast. Known hosts of SWD include soft skinned fruit like raspberries, cherries, blueberries, peaches and strawberries. Even though the wild host range of SWD includes nightshades (Solanum spp.) the expansion of spotted wing drosophila onto other soft skinned fruit or vegetables is still unknown and no research has been conducted to evaluate the threat of SWD to tomatoes, Solanum lycopersicum, which are a major crop in NY