AREA-WIDE INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM) OF FRUIT FLIES IN HAWAIIAN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Authors: Jang, Eric; McInnis, Donald; Vargas, Roger; MAU, RON - UH MANOA

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2003
Publication Date: 5/23/2003
Citation: Jang, E.B., Mcinnis, D.O., Vargas, R.I., Mau, R.F. 2003. Area-wide integrated pest management (IPM) of fruit flies in hawaiian fruits and vegetables. Meeting Abstract. Proceedings of the Third Research Project on "Quality Assurance of mass produced and released fruit flies for SIT Programmes, May 19-23, 2003, Perth, Australia.

Interpretive Summary: Four economically important fruit flies have been accidentally introduced into Hawaii: melon fly, Mediterranean fruit fly, oriental fruit fly, and solanaceous fruit fly. Over 400 different host fruits are attacked by fruit flies in the Hawaiian fruit fly complex. These fruit flies inhibit development of a diversified tropical fruit and vegetable industry, require that commercial fruits undergo quarantine treatment prior to export, and in Hawaii provide a breeding reservoir for their introduction into the continental United States. These exotic pests pose a serious threat of establishment into new areas as a result of the continued increases in movement of people and commodities throughout the U.S. and the world . Present fruit fly control measures in Hawaii rely heavily on the application of organophosphate and carbamate insecticides to crops. Overuse of these insecticides has been implicated with secondary pest outbreaks, negative effects on beneficial insects, environmental contamination and adverse effects on human health. We propose to test and implement use of more environmentally acceptable insecticides (eg. spinosad), as a substitute for organophosphate insecticides in bait sprays and utilize the kairomone lures, Biolure, methyl eugenol and cue-lure, for area-wide suppression of Mediterranean, oriental and melon fly in farms and on wild reservoir hosts. The use of Biolure, methyl eugenol and cue-lure, the less environmentally damaging insecticides, and the augmentative release of beneficial parasitoids and/or sterile flies will provide more effective area-wide control of fruit flies than the current use of carbamate and organophosphate cover sprays on crops. Our goal is to develop and integrate biologically based pest management approaches that will result in area-wide control of fruit flies throughout selected fruit and vegetable producing areas in Hawaii. We plan to demonstrate the effectiveness of the following technologies: 1) male annihilation in reservoir host areas, 2) spinosad bait sprays and/or bait stations, 3) augmentative parasite releases, 4) sterile flies and in farm cultural practices by integrating two or more of them into a pest management system. We contend that integrating these techniques into a pest management system is a more environmentally sound approach for reducing both the economic losses caused by fruit flies in the field and the severity of treatments required to provide quarantine security for export of Hawaiian fruits and vegetables.

Technical Abstract: Four economically important fruit flies have been accidentally introduced into Hawaii: melon fly, Mediterranean fruit fly, oriental fruit fly, and solanaceous fruit fly. Over 400 different host fruits are attacked by fruit flies in the Hawaiian fruit fly complex. These fruit flies inhibit development of a diversified tropical fruit and vegetable industry, require that commercial fruits undergo quarantine treatment prior to export, and in Hawaii provide a breeding reservoir for their introduction into the continental United States. These exotic pests pose a serious threat of establishment into new areas as a result of the continued increases in movement of people and commodities throughout the U.S. and the world . Present fruit fly control measures in Hawaii rely heavily on the application of organophosphate and carbamate insecticides to crops. Overuse of these insecticides has been implicated with secondary pest outbreaks, negative effects on beneficial insects, environmental contamination and adverse effects on human health. We propose to test and implement use of more environmentally acceptable insecticides (eg. spinosad), as a substitute for organophosphate insecticides in bait sprays and utilize the kairomone lures, Biolure, methyl eugenol and cue-lure, for area-wide suppression of Mediterranean, oriental and melon fly in farms and on wild reservoir hosts. The use of Biolure, methyl eugenol and cue-lure, the less environmentally damaging insecticides, and the augmentative release of beneficial parasitoids and/or sterile flies will provide more effective area-wide control of fruit flies than the current use of carbamate and organophosphate cover sprays on crops. Our goal is to develop and integrate biologically based pest management approaches that will result in area-wide control of fruit flies throughout selected fruit and vegetable producing areas in Hawaii. We plan to demonstrate the effectiveness of the following technologies: 1) male annihilation in reservoir host areas, 2) spinosad bait sprays and/or bait stations, 3) augmentative parasite releases, 4) sterile flies and in farm cultural practices by integrating two or more of them into a pest management system. We contend that integrating these techniques into a pest management system is a more environmentally sound approach for reducing both the economic losses caused by fruit flies in the field and the severity of treatments required to provide quarantine security for export of Hawaiian fruits and vegetables.