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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Miami, Florida » Subtropical Horticulture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #364802
Research Project: Methyl Bromide Replacement: Mitigation of the Invasive Pest Threat from the American Tropics and Subtropics

Location: Subtropical Horticulture Research

Title: Attraction and oviposition responses of female Oriental fruit flies to host fruit vs torula yeast volatiles

Author
item ROH, GWANG HYUN - Oak Ridge Institute For Science And Education (ORISE)
item Epsky, Nancy
item Kendra, Paul
item Cha, Dong

Submitted to: Florida Entomological Society Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/9/2019
Publication Date: 7/21/2019
Citation: Roh, G., Epsky, N.D., Kendra, P.E., Cha, D.H. 2019. Attraction and oviposition responses of female Oriental fruit flies to host fruit vs torula yeast volatiles [abstract].Florida Entomological Society Annual Meeting. 21-24 July 2019.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The objective of this study is to identify new attractants for female oriental fruit fly (OFF). In recent years, incursions of OFF have increased in South Florida, threatening production of avocado, mango and many specialty crops. In August 2015, establishment of a breeding population in Miami-Dade County triggered a multimillion dollar quarantine and eradication program. Methyl eugenol (ME) is a powerful attractant for male OFF but does not intercept invading female OFF. Hydrolyzed torula yeast/borax (TY) solution is used currently for detection of females, but it is a weak attractant with a short field life. Thus, we are developing new and more potent female OFF attractants for improved OFF detection to prevent pest establishment. Here we report our first bioassay results to develop female lures based on attractive volatiles emitted from the most attractive host plant materials.