Relationships between the olive fly Bactrocera oleae and its endosymbiont Candidatus Erwinia dacicola: from basic knowledge to practical applications

This research investigates the study, from basical knowledge to practical applications, of the endosymbiosis between Bactrocera oleae (Rossi), a key pest of the olive crops in the Mediterranean basin, and Candidatus Erwinia dacicola. This bacterium is considered essential for the olive fly. It is vertically transmitted through generations and it benefits both larvae and adults in field; whereas, it had been rarely found in lab colonies, probably because of preservatives in artificial diets. The aim of this Ph.D. thesis is to evaluate the possibility of controlling the olive fly through the management of this symbiosis, with its interruption in field by the use of several natural substances and favouring its maintenance in lab rearing for Sterile Insect Technique purposes.