Courtship song differs between African and European populations of and involves a strong effect locus.

The courtship song of has long served as excellent model system for studies of animal communication and differences in courtship song have been demonstrated among populations and between species. Here, we report that flies of African and European origin, which diverged approximately 13,000 years ago, show significant genetic differentiation in the use of slow versus fast pulse song. Using a combination of quantitative trait mapping and population genetic analysis we detected a single strong QTL underlying this trait and we identified candidate genes that may contribute to the evolution of this trait.

Recombinant inbred line panels inform the genetic architecture and interactions of adaptive traits in .

The distribution of allelic effects on traits, along with their gene-by-gene and gene-by-environment interactions, contributes to the phenotypes available for selection and the trajectories of adaptive variants. Nonetheless, uncertainty persists regarding the effect sizes underlying adaptations and the importance of genetic interactions. Herein, we aimed to investigate the genetic architecture and the epistatic and environmental interactions involving loci that contribute to multiple adaptive traits using two new panels of recombinant inbred lines (RILs).

Hybrid breakdown in male reproduction between recently diverged Drosophila melanogaster populations has a complex and variable genetic architecture.

Secondary contact between formerly isolated populations may result in hybrid breakdown, in which untested allelic combinations in hybrids are maladaptive and limit genetic exchange. Studying early-stage reproductive isolation may yield key insights into the genetic architectures and evolutionary forces underlying the first steps toward speciation. Here, we leverage the recent worldwide expansion of Drosophila melanogaster to test for hybrid breakdown between populations that diverged within the last 13,000 years.

An Improved Crop Scouting Technique Incorporating Unmanned Aerial Vehicle-Assisted Multispectral Crop Imaging into Conventional Scouting Practice for Gummy Stem Blight in Watermelon.

Multispectral imaging is increasingly used in specialty crops, but its benefits in assessment of disease severity and improvements in conventional scouting practice are unknown. Multispectral imaging was conducted using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and data were analyzed for five flights from Florida and Georgia commercial watermelon fields in 2017. The fields were rated for disease incidence and severity by extension agents and plant pathologists at randomized locations (i.

Modulation of social space by dopamine in but no effect on the avoidance of the stress odorant.

Appropriate response to others is necessary for social interactions. Yet little is known about how neurotransmitters regulate attractive and repulsive social cues. Using genetic and pharmacological manipulations in , we show that dopamine is contributing the response to others in a social group, specifically, social spacing, but not the avoidance of odours released by stressed flies (dSO).