Université Laval
M.Sc. candidate
Supervisor: Valérie Fournier
Justin Renkema, Agriculture et agroalimentaire Canada
Start: 2021-08-30
End: 2021-12-31

Project

Phenology and biology of the blueberry maggot in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean area
The newly recorded presence of blueberry maggot (Rhagoletis mendax) in the lowbush blueberry fields of Lac-Saint-Jean is of concern to the industry and could cause significant economic losses. To adopt an integrated management strategy against this new pest, it is essential to study its biology in this new environment. This project aims to study the phenology of the blueberry maggot under the climatic conditions of the region, its use of local wild hosts and its presence in different types of habitats (natural, in vegetation and in production). To achieve the objectives of the project, wild plant fruits are harvested to detect the presence of larvae, a trapping device is established to monitor the presence of the fly in different habitats throughout the season and to establish the time of sexual maturity of the insect. Finally, a projected bioclimatic model based on thermal cumulation (degree days) will be adapted to local data.

Keywords

mouche du bleuet, rhagoletis mendax, modèle bioclimatologique, degrés-jours, hôtes alternes