Oviposition behaviour in Drosophila melanogaster: Genetic and behavioural decoupling between oviposition acceptance and preference for natural fruits.

This article focuses on the genetic and behavioral components of oviposition behavior in the fruit fly *Drosophila melanogaster*, specifically examining oviposition acceptance (OA) and oviposition preference (OP) using grape, tomato, and orange as natural substrates. Through no-choice (OA) and two-choice (OP) assays with fully sequenced Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel lines, the study found that OA and OP are behaviorally and genetically decoupled traits, with distinct sets of candidate genes underlying each. The results indicate that egg-laying behavior is plastic and context-dependent, with genetic variation influencing how flies accept and prefer oviposition sites differently across resources. These findings have implications for understanding adaptive strategies in habitat selection, host shifts, and the maintenance of genetic variability in phytophagous insects.