Researchers from the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service are opening new markets for America’s fruit growers. Fruit flies are major economic and quarantine pests that impact fresh fruit production and impede international trade. Flies lay their eggs on fruits, making the infested fruit their host, resulting in millions of dollars in damage annually. For international trade, fruits must undergo quarantine treatment or other mitigation measures to control possible infestation by fruit flies and other high-risk pests.
