[en] The main objective of the study was to assess Ceratitis capitata Wied. (medfly) female trapping with new traps and attractants in varying ecological conditions as part of a co-ordinated international programme. Trials were carried out between 1995 and 1997, using seven types of traps baited with the various combination of sexual and food attractants. Different methods for insects retention were also tested. For these trials, protocols established by the International Atomic Energy Agency were followed. The Jackson Trap with Trimedlure plugs proved to be the most efficient for capture of medfly males, while International Pheromone's McPhail Trap was the most efficient for the capture of females, when used with a combination of all three new attractants (FA-3) consisting of ammonium acetate, putrescine, and trimethylamine plus the toxicant DDVP for insect retention. The new traps and attractants also captured flies belonging to genus Anastrepha (Diptera: Tephritidae). (author)

[en] With the aim of developing a system of attractants and trapping to optimize the capture of female Mediterranean fruit flies, Ceratitis capitata (Wied.) as well as other fruit flies, six experiments were carried out during the period 1994-1997, in a sterile-insect release zone in the Soconusco region of Chiapas, Mexico. Relating to the system of attractants, the evaluation focused on the comparison of food attractants (i.e. ammonium acetate, putrescine and trimethylamine) with standard attractants, such as Trimedlure and liquid hydrolyzed protein. For the trapping system, dry traps (Jackson trap, Open bottom dry trap, etc.) as well as wet traps (McPhail trap, Tephri trap, etc.) were tested alternately with the different kinds of attractants. The experiments were performed in agrosystems of coffee and groves of citrus and mango. Results consistently showed that a combination of ammonium acetate + putrescine + trimethylamine was the best for the capture of female Ceratitis capitata (Wied.) when used in traps such as the OBDT and the plastic McPhail trap (IPMT), while for Anastrepha spp., the McPhail trap baited with liquid hydrolyzed protein still appears to be the best option, although the combination of ammonium acetate with putrescine was quite consistent in the trapping of A. obliqua and A. ludens in traps such as the IPMT. (author)

[en] In four years of research, we evaluated different traps (McPhail, Tephri, Closed-bottom dry trap, Open-bottom dry trap, and Frutect), lures (FA-2 and FA-3 synthetic lures composed of ammonium acetate + putrescine, and ammonium acetate + putrescine + trimethylamine, respectively), and insect retention methods (water, sticky inserts, insecticides) to develop a selective trapping system for female Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata, Wiedemann) sterility assessment. The trapping systems were compared with protein-baited McPhail traps, which are the standard method for C. capitata female capture, during eight to fifteen week trials in coffee and orthanique orange plantations at two different localities in Honduras. Trimedlure-baited Jackson traps were also used as the standard indicator of the C. capitata populations. The Closed-bottom trap baited with the two-component synthetic lure captured eight to twelve times fewer C. capitata than the Jackson trap. The McPhail trap and the modified Open-bottom trap, both baited with the two-component synthetic lure, captured 1.6 to 3.5 times more C. capitata females than the protein-baited McPhail trap. The addition of trimethylamine to the two-component synthetic lure resulted in 9.8 to 15.8 times increases in C. capitata female capture over the protein-baited McPhail trap. The presence of water in McPhail or Tephri traps did not affect the capture of C. capitata females. Throughout the study, all female-targeted trapping systems captured the same proportion of females. (author)

[en] Several species of fruit flies cause serious losses to fleshy fruits in Mauritius. Due to fruit production being confined mainly to backyard gardens, traditional methods of control do not give satisfactory results. Full cover sprays with chemicals also pose potential environmental and health risks. Alternative control methods were developed and an area-wide control programme was conceived, using bait application to bring down fruit fly population, followed by intensive trapping of males, using pheromones, to keep the population at low levels. An effective attractant system for mass trapping of females integrated into the wide area programme would greatly enhance control. The use of synthetic food-based attractants for trapping Ceratitis capitata and other fruit fly species was investigated in two phases and compared with different trapping systems. In the Phase III experiments, a two component lure, ammonium acetate + putrescine (FA-2) and a three component lure, ammonium acetate + putrescine + trimethylamine (FA-3) were tested in different traps and compared with standard liquid protein-baited International Pheromone's McPhail Trap (IPMT). Frutect trap, Tephri-trap and Jackson trap with Trimedlure were also used. The medfly female catch with the FA-3 lure used in the Open Bottom Dry Trap outnumbered the catches in other traps. In Phase IV, the final year of the trial, the FA-3 lure was tested in wet and dry IPMT and Tephri traps. These were compared with IPMT containing NuLure + borax (NU+B) as standard and with locally developed traps. The FA-3 lure gave the highest catches of female medflies in the IPMT with water as retaining device followed by IPMT with DDVP, although catches were not significantly different from IPMT with NU+B. (author)

[en] Experiments were conducted to find the most effective combination of traps and lures for use in two different climates - the coastal and the desert regions of Israel. Three trials were conducted following the IAEA CRP- phase 4 protocol. Two simultaneous trials were carried out around June 1997. One was in a citrus grove in Tsrifin, the coastal region, and the other in a mango grove in Hatseva, the Arava Valley, a desert region where there has been on ongoing SIT program since January 1998. A third trial was also conducted in Tsrifin, at the same location as the first trial, but during February 1998. In all trials, the International Pheromone's McPhail Trap (IPMT) with NuLure + borax (NU+B) was the standard trap. The FA-3 attractants (ammonium acetate, putrescine, and trimethylamine) were used with water and surfactant Triton-X (wet version) or without water but with DDVP (dry version) in IPMT and Tephri traps. Treatments and traps included in the trials were: IPMT, FA-3, wet; IPMT, FA-3, dry; Tephri, FA-3, dry; Tephri, FA-3, wet. The results of these trials indicated that, at both locations, medfly populations differed greatly - 153 versus 82,500 flies at Hatseva and Tsrifin, respectively. All traps caught more females than males. At Tsrifin, the Tephri, FA-3 traps outperformed the IPMT, NU+B, capturing 4 to 5 times more than standard (IPMT,NU+B). The addition of water to the traps at this location resulted in a slight decrease in captures. At Hatseva, the addition of water improved capturing in both IPMT and Tephri traps. Replacing the water with ethylene glycol resulted in the highest capture level indicating the importance of humidity to the trap performance. (author)

[en] Field trials were conducted in Morocco to evaluate food-based attractants according to the FAO/IAEA international network program. Ammonium acetate plus putrescine (FA-2 attractants) were very effective and selective for female medfly attraction. The addition of trimethylamine (FA-3 attractants) increased trap catches. The association of the female attractants with various traps were tested in two medfly host plants, argan (Argania spinosa) and mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) during two seasons (fall and summer). Open bottom dry traps (OBDTs), closed bottom dry traps (CBDTs), dry International Pheromone's McPhail traps (IPMTs), wet IPMTs, locally made traps and Tephri traps, all baited with the synthetic lures (FA-2 and FA-3), were compared to liquid protein baited IPMTs and Trimedlure baited Jackson traps. Results showed that the new trapping systems were as effective in capturing females as the standard IPMT baited with NuLure + borax. Furthermore, dry Tephri traps were the most effective under certain conditions. Only in one experiment were CBDTs baited with the synthetic two component lure (FA-2) as effective as Trimedlure baited Jackson traps. In most cases the attracted females were immature. Attempts to increase the attractiveness of the synthetic lure by the addition of male medfly synthetic pheromone failed. Based on the results obtained, it is apparent that the three component synthetic female attractant (FA-3) provides an effective system for capturing female medflies and could be used as an alternative to NuLure baited IPMT traps for assessing the efficacy of SIT when sterile males are released. (author)

[en] Experiments were conducted to determine if reducing the male population using TML traps and pheromone baited traps would enhance female Mediterranean fruit fly capture. Investigations were conducted in citrus plantations in Mallorca. In the first trial (0.36 ha, Son Coll Vey, Palma) Agrisense yellow delta traps were deployed on every third tree in adjacent rows. On each other tree, a TML bait was placed with an insecticide strip containing Dichlorvos. Thus, each of the delta traps was surrounded by a hexagon of TML + insecticide baited trees. The rationale of this experiment was to remove males from the vicinity of pheromone-baited traps and thereby increase the apparency of the female lure. Before the trial, male catches averaged 4.1 per day in TML traps. During the trial, this was reduced to approximately 0.6 males/trap/day. The traps with pheromone (pyrazines in various combinations and ratios) caught around 0.05 females/trap/day. The pheromone traps remained female selective, with a negligible male catch, similar to that in unbaited traps. The most likely cause for the very low female catch may be that insufficient males were removed by the lure and kill devices. In the second trial (0.67 ha, Inca, Mallorca) the proprietor had deployed 83 traps, baited with TML and insecticide, for 18 days prior to the placement of five treatments with six replicates. The delta traps were placed on every third tree, with replicates every third row. The female catch showed a progressive enhancement over a period of 6 weeks, reaching a level about six times that of males in TML traps. (author)

[en] With the availability of genetic sexing strains of Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wied.), it is possible to release only sterile males in SIT programs. The availability of a new female medfly attractant can reduce labor costs because program progress can be monitored by trapping females instead of the usual male trapping with its labor intensive identification of sterile and wild males. Three Madeira studies evaluated new female attractants; ammonium acetate, putrescine and trimethylamine. One study was carried out in the same area during two different periods of 1996 (8 June to 27 July and 12 October to 30 November). A second study was conducted between 24 May to 05 July, 1997, in two different areas at the same altitude. One area had a wild fly population (sex ratio 1: 1) and the other was in an area where sterile males were released (sex ratio > 9: 1). The third study, conducted from 18 October to 29 November, 1997, compared wild fly captures at low elevations (80 m) with those at high elevations (700 m). The first study showed that the inclusion of the attractant trimethylamine significantly increased the wild female medfly. The percentage of medfly females in the traps with the two and the three attractants (FA-2 and FA-3) was more than 70%. In the second and third studies, the dry traps were more effective than wet traps in capturing wild medfly females. In areas with only wild females, the percentage of females captured was more than 62%. In areas where sterile males were released, the percentage of females captured was between 12% and 19%. In conclusion, the new attractants captured high percentages of females and, when combined with medfly genetic sexing strains, can reduce program costs significantly. (author)

[en] Practical application of the sterile insect technique (SIT) against major insect pests will continue to increase as the repeated use of insecticides is recognized as an environmental problem. In the case of the Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly), which attacks over 300 species of fruits and vegetables in tropical, subtropical, and temperate climates on all five continents, control is still largely based on frequent insecticide spraying, often more than 10 sprays per fruiting season. Methods for population estimation, which accurately reflect changes due to movement, mortality or reproduction, are a prerequisite for effective pest management and in particular for use of SIT. With better monitoring tools medfly populations can be estimated more accurately and compared under different conditions, to guide decisions on alternative (i.e. more effective and more environment-friendly) control strategies. In support of this need in the application of SIT field programmes against medfly, an FAO/IAEA co-ordinated research project (CRP) was carried out which resulted in a TECDOC published in 1996 on Standardization of Medfly Trapping for Use in sterile insect technique Programmes. Following the development of male only genetic sexing strains at the FAO/IAEA Agriculture and Biotechnology Laboratories in Seibersdorf, Austria, it was recognized that the development of a female medfly targeted trapping system, in conjunction with only male sterile releases, would improve the efficacy of the SIT, reduce costs, and more effectively utilize sterile males. As a result, a new FAO/IAEA Co-ordinated Research Project on Development of Female Medfly Attractant Systems for Trapping and Sterility Assessment was initiated in 1994 with the objective to develop new synthetic female medfly attractants and to determine their efficacy compared to proteinaceous baits under different weather, host-tree and population density conditions. Findings obtained during the course of this 5-year CRP are described in this publication. Tests were carried out by researchers in fourteen different countries and climates in northern and southern Africa, southern Europe, Central and South America and the Indian Ocean. The production of fruits preferred by the medfly is important in all countries where tests were conducted. Results reflect major progress made in achieving the above objectives, which have resulted in a commercial female medfly lure already in use not only in operational SIT control and eradication programmes, but also in conventional monitoring and even mass trapping. It is hoped that this publication will be of help to all plant protection, pest control and quarantine workers in the tropics and subtropics, where the medfly is a major pest or has the potential to become established

[en] This report contains information from a four-year research programme co-ordinated by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The objective of the programme was to develop a trapping system for females of the Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly), Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae), for practical use in Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) programs and to design and evaluate a trap to obtain eggs from wild female medflies in order to estimate sterility induction in the field population. Spain (through INIA) participated in this programme because of interest in the control of medfly in this area of the Mediterranean. Citrus, peaches, plums, apricots and other subtropical fruits are some of the cultures which are severely attacked by this pest. To facilitate comparison of results, all the trials of 1994 - 97 were carried out in the same orchards. These orchards were located near the Malaga airport in the south of Spain on the Mediterranean coast. Female medfly attractants tested were three food based 'female' attractants (FA-3), namely ammonium acetate (AA), 1,4 diaminobutane (putrescine) and trimethylamine, all formulated to last at least one month. These attractants were evaluated either in combinations of two (AA + putrescine, termed FA-2) or all three (termed FA-3). The attractants were tested in various traps including the plastic International Pheromone's McPhail traps (IPMT) and Tephri traps, a Spanish trap similar to the IPMT. Traps were used either as a dry trap (provided with DDVP) or a wet trap (provided with water and 0.01% surfactant). Jackson traps with Trimedlure JT,TML), a routinely used male medfly trapping system, was also used. Based on the results of successive years, we can observe progress towards the project goals. In 1994, the development of the FA-2 attractants (P+AA) with their selectivity for female medflies was a significant effort towards reaching future goals. The synergism of trimethylamine with the FA-2 attractants, yielding the FA-3 attractants (P+AA+TMA), used with the new Tephri Trap produced very good results in 1996. There were no doubt about the results of the different traps and attractants in this year. At last, the experiment of 1997 demonstrated the efficiency of both traps (Tephri and IPMT) with or without water inside the trap. The choice of which trap to use will depend, perhaps, on the temperature or humidity of the local climate, but both always gave excellent results. We now have an excellent trap and attractant to capture medfly females to assure good control of the pest. Killing the first overwintering generation of medfly females by a mass trapping method will provide a powerful tool to avoid big populations in the summer and fall in countries with moderate climates. (author)