A Michigan State University researcher has received a $325,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to develop a yeast-based biopesticide that targets spotted wing drosophila (SWD), an invasive pest of berries and tree fruits.

Julianna Wilson, an assistant professor in the Department of Entomology and tree fruit specialist with MSU Extension, leads the multistate team. Partnering on the project is Molly Duman Scheel, a professor of medical and molecular genetics at Indiana University.

Researchers are striving to create a yeast-based biopesticide that is built on a model proven effective in other fly and mosquito species. The product works by interfering with the pests’ ribonucleic acid (RNA) protein translation, which was first used in combating destructive nematodes.

Wilson said this type of product is uniquely effective compared to conventional pesticides because it focuses on gene expression in target organisms, while leaving non-target organisms unharmed.

Source: Michigan State University October 31, 2024 news release