March 2025, 17th Scientific talk
Published on 28 February 2025
Matthieu is a lecturer at the University of Marseille, conducting research at the Institut de Biologie du Développement.
Seminar's topic
Role of sugar perception in oviposition host shift of the pest Drosophila suzukii.
Seminar's topic
Matthieu Cavey examined how changing behaviors can lead to the emergence of agricultural pests.
Specifically, the insect pest Drosophila suzukii has shifted its oviposition niche from fermented to ripe fruit, causing damage to fruit crops. The study examines changes in chemosensory perception and establishes that sugar plays an important role in shaping the oviposition preferences of D. suzukii. Genetic manipulation experiments and calcium imaging data suggest that changes in sugar evaluation in the central nervous system are responsible for the evolution of this behavior. This study shows how changes in behavior can have an impact on agriculture.
Matthieu is a lecturer at the University of Marseille, conducting research at the Institute for Developmental Biology.
