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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Hilo, Hawaii » Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center » Tropical Crop and Commodity Protection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #182396
Title: DEVELOPMENT AND FIELD RELEASE OF GENETIC SEXING STRAINS OF THE MELON FLY, BACTROCERA CUCURBITAE, AND ORIENTAL FRUIT FLY, B. DORSALIS, IN HAWAII

Author
item McInnis, Donald
item Lim, Ron
item Tam, Steven
item Komatsu, Jason
item LEBLANC, L - U HAWAII
item Muromoto, Darin
item MAU, R - U HAWAII
item Boyer, Gregory
item Kurashima, Rick
item FUJITANI, E - U HAWAII
item Murasaki, Noal

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/20/2005
Publication Date: 5/9/2005
Citation: Mcinnis, D.O., Lim, R.R., Tam, S.Y., Komatsu, J., Leblanc, L., Muromoto, D.S., Mau, R., Boyer, G.J., Kurashima, R.S., Fujitani, E., Murasaki, N.M. Development and field release of genetic sexing strains of the melon fly, bactrocera cucurbitae, and oriental fruit fly, b. dorsalis, in Hawaii. FAO/IAEA International Conference on Area-Wide Control of Insect Pests: Integrating the Sterile Insect and Related Nuclear and Other Techniques. Vienna, Austria; May 9-13, 2005. P. 128.

Interpretive Summary: Abstract only.

Technical Abstract: Research on the melon fly and oriental fruit fly continued in the areas of aromatherapy and genetic sexing. For the oriental fruit fly, at the last 2 Research Coordination Meetings, research results documented the significant beneficial effects of both aromatherapy (with methyl eugenol) and all-male fly releases, based on standard field cage studies in Hawaii Suriname, S.A. and Thailand. However, results have, unfortunately, shown no effect on adult mating performance after larval exposure to methyl eugenol in their diet. Melon fly studies continued with the pupal color sexing strain, now over 3 years old. Quality control studies indicated that the strain mass-rears adequately, and is very competitive with wild flies based on field cage studies of mating ability and survival. Open field studies were conducted between 2002-2004 on 3 Hawaiian islands in increasingly larger test areas and with increasing numbers of sterile males released (up to 1,500,000/wk) . Results indicated that the sexing strain significantly impacted the wild population, causing high induced sterility above 75% in both residential and commercial areas vegetable growing areas of Hawaii. Currently, we are switching from mass-rearing the melon fly to the oriental fruit fly sexing strain, and releasing the latter in citrus orchards on Oahu, HI, to assess the field fitness of the strain.