Five new genomes of fruit fly pests

Invasive fruit flies pose a growing threat to global agriculture, with rising incursions linked to climate change and increasing trade. To support pest management and research efforts, scientists at the Royal Museum for Central Africa (RMCA) and African partner institutions have now released high-quality genome assemblies for five agriculturally significant fruit fly species: Ceratitis capitata, C. quilicii, C. rosa, Zeugodacus cucurbitae, and Bactrocera zonata. For three of the five genomes, gene positions have been mapped to the genomes, greatly enhancing their potential to tackle advanced research questions.

For three of these species, no genome assembly was previously available, marking a major breakthrough in tephritid research. These genomic resources will aid scientists in understanding climate adaptation, host expansion, and the development of sustainable pest control strategies.

Read the full article at: https://f1000research.com/articles/13-1492