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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Protection and Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #208281
Title: Flightability as a quality control parameter for the codling moth, Cydia pomonella

Author
item Carpenter, James
item BLOMEFIELD, TOM - ARC, SOUTH AFRICA

Submitted to: IAEA-FAO Research Coordination Meeting for CRP
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/13/2007
Publication Date: 3/23/2007
Citation: Carpenter, J.E., Blomefield, T. 2007. Flightability as a quality control parameter for the codling moth, Cydia pomonella. In: Proceedings of the Final Research Co-ordination Meeting, FAO/IAEA Coordinated Research Program, "Improvement of Codling Moth SIT to Facilitate Expansion of Field Application", March 19-23, 2007, Vacaria, Brazil. IAEA-314-D4-RC.876,2006. p. 61-68.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Quality assurance tests and standards are requisite for maximizing fitness of insect species that are mass-reared for release in area-wide autocidal control programs. Because of the extensive use of the SIT to control/eradicate fruit flies and the development of international trade in sterile fruit flies, the use of quality assessments and standards is highly advanced and widely accepted for these pests. Currently, there is a growing interest in expanding the use of the SIT for the control/eradication of moth pests such as the codling moth. Recent studies have revealed the absence of mating barriers between codling moths collected from five different continents. These findings, coupled with the ability to use commercial freight routes for inter-continental transport of moths and pupae, illustrate the opportunities for international trade of sterile codling moths and the need for standard international quality control standards. Because flightability trials have been used successfully in assessing fitness of fruit flies, we initiated the development of a flightability test for codling moths. We evaluated the ability of codling moths to fly out of cylinders of different heights and diameters over a period of 24, 48, 64, and 88 hrs. Codling moth treatments included gender, radiation dose, and pre-transport vs post-transport irradiation. Results from flightability trials were compared to other fitness parameters including longevity and ability/propensity to mate.