Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Insect Behavior and Biocontrol Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #213247
Title: Influence of methoprene and dietary protein on male Anastrepha suspensa (Diptera: Tephritidae) lipid and protein contents

Author
item PEREIRA, RUI - ENT DEPT, UNIV OF FL
item Sivinski, John
item Shapiro, Jeffrey
item Teal, Peter

Submitted to: Florida Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/15/2011
Publication Date: 6/1/2011
Citation: Pereira, R., Sivinski, J.M., Shapiro, J.P., Teal, P.E. 2011. Influence of methoprene and dietary protein on male Anastrepha suspensa (Diptera: Tephritidae) lipid and protein contents. Florida Entomologist. 94(2):137-144.

Interpretive Summary: The Caribbean fruit fly is a pest of nearly fruits and vegetables and restricts the export of citrus from Florida, particularly to Japan. One proposed means of its control is the mass-release of sterile males, but this relies on the reared flies being sexually competitive with wild rivals. Both protein-diets and application of the hormone-like substance methoprene increase the fly’s sexual success, but are there nutritional consequences to the increase that harm the fly over the long term? Scientists at the ARS Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, Gainesville, Florida found that protein always improved the nutritional status of Caribbean fruit fly and that methoprene had no negative effect. Thus both can be used to provide a “super-male” that will be more effective in sterile male releases.

Technical Abstract: Both, the application of a juvenile hormone analog, methoprene, and the addition of protein to the adult diet increased the sexual success and have an impact on nutritional status of male Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa (Loew). Total lipid and protein contents in males’ bodies were measured to discover if there was any correlation between these treatments, and the subsequent changes in sexual behavior, and nutritional status. Determinations were done at different ages (at emergence, at day 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 of adult age). In the first 24 hours of adult emergence six different treatments were applied: (M+P+) application of methoprene in acetone solution, and sugar and hydrolyzed yeast (protein source) as adult food; (M+P-) application of methoprene and sugar only as adult food; (M-P+) no application of methoprene, but the same amount of acetone solution, and sugar and hydrolyzed yeast as adult food; (M-P-) no application of methoprene, but the same amount of acetone solution, and sugar only as adult food; (P+) same as treatment M-P+ but without any application of acetone; and (P-) same as treatment M-P- but without any application of acetone. At same time adult weight was determined for all treatments at all ages studied. Results show a clear effect of protein diet on the weight, totals lipid and protein contents during the first 35 days of adult life of male Caribbean fruit fly. No impact of methoprene and/or acetone application was observed. Weight and total protein contents were stable during the time period studied. However, total lipid content decreased with age.