February 2023
Fluorescent Drosophila suzukii (commonly called the spotted wing drosophila or SWD)
Photo: Dr. Ying Yan
Scientists are constantly working to control the Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD), a fruit-damaging invasive insect now native to Germany. To better understand the flies' behavior, a new method involving fluorescent flies has been developed. Dr. Ying Yan, a researcher at Professor Schetelig´s Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection, is leading a project funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) to explore ways to reduce female oviposition and male fertility to control the SWD population.
For more information:
Prof. Dr. Marc Schetelig, Professor for Insect Biotechnology in Plant Protection and Coordinator of the Horizon Europe REACT program