Bacterial Communities of Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura, 1931) (Diptera: Drosophilidae) Damaged in Strawberry in Turkey

Abstract

Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura, 1931) (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is an invasive species originating from Southeastern Asia and spreads in a fast manner. It is among major threats in soft-shell fruit cultivation in the whole world. It was detected in 2014 in Turkey. According to international criteria, it is considered that it has the potential of threatening the fruit cultivation in Turkey where garden plants are grown widely. In this study, a total of 39 bacterial strains were isolated from 100 mature Drosophila suzukii individuals. Gram staining characteristics, catalase, oxidase and nitrate reductase activities and chitinase enzyme activities and hypersensitivity reaction of these strains were determined by using microscopical and visual inspection. The bacterial strains were identified according to their fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) analysis by using Sherlock Microbial Identification System (MIS). The identification test results of the bacterial strains were also confirmed by phylogenetic analysis and their closely related species based on the 16S rRNA sequence. The most abundant bacterial species were Paenibacillus alvei (31.57%) and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (47.36%) according to the MIS and 16S rRNA sequence analysis results, respectively. According to the MIS results, a total of 6 strains identified as Paenibacillus alvei were identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens according to the 16S rRNA sequence analysis results. A total of three Paenibacillus macerans strains identified in MIS system were also identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens according to the 16S rRNA sequence analysis. Morphological and biochemical characteristics results of all of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strains showed the some results. According to the 16S rRNA sequence analysis results, the other bacterial strains consist of 1 Bacillus atrophaeus (5.2%), 1 Bacillus safensis (5.2%), 1 Paenibacillus motobuensis (5.2%) and 1 Staphylococcus epidermidis (5.2%) strains. To our knowledge, this is the first study characterizing the bacterial communities of Drosophila suzukii.