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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 #265625
Title: Laboratory evaluation of the chemosterilant lufenuron against Ceratitis capitata, Bactrocera dorsalis, B. cucurbitae, and B. latifrons.

Author
item Chang, Chiou
item ILKYU, CHO - University Of Hawaii
item LI, QING XIAO - University Of Hawaii

Submitted to: Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/29/2011
Publication Date: 3/2/2012
Citation: Chang, C.L., Ilkyu, C., Li, Q. 2012. Laboratory evaluation of the chemosterilant lufenuron against Ceratitis capitata, Bactrocera dorsalis, B. cucurbitae, and B. latifrons. Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology.

Interpretive Summary: Tephritid fruit flies are one of the most important insect pests in subtropical and tropical areas. They have caused a substantial loss on agricultural products. Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is one of the most effective methods for tephritid fruit fly control, which released sterile male fruit flies to the fields to compete with males for wild females to reduce fruit fly population. Currently, radiation is the most broadly used to sterilize the males. The disadvantage of radiation treatment is not cost effective because the multiple problems, such as radiation facility, personnel, and procedures. It would be beneficial if there were some other means that can induce sterility through mass rearing diet in immature or adult stage. Lufenuron (a chitin-synthesis inhibitor) has remarkable effects on the development and reproduction of some insects. To our knowledge, laboratory test toxicity data of lufenuron to tephrid fruit flies were very limited. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of lufenuron on sterility of the four fruit fly species through artificial liquid larval diet and adult diet in the laboratory condition.

Technical Abstract: Four species of tephritid fruit flies, Ceratitis capitata, Bactrocera dorsalis, B. cucurbitae, and B. latifrons were evaluated for toxic, developmental, and physiological responses to the chemosterilant lufenuorn incorporated in an agar adult diet and a liquid larval diet. No significant mortality of the first three species was observed after their exposure up to 50 µg/mL of lufenuorn in the agar adult diet while the effect on fertility is dosage dependent. Fertility of C. capitata adults fed on 50 µg/mL lufenuron fortified diet during age of 7-12 d was approximately 46% of the no lufenuron control. The fertility of C. capitata remained consistently lower for up to 14 days old. No significant effect on fecundity was observed. Fertility of B. dorsalis and B. latifrons adults fed on 50 µg/mL lufenuron incorporated diet was about 46% and 61% of the control, respectively, while fecundity was not affected. Both fertility and fecundity of B. cucurbitae adults were not affected by lufenuron. Larvae fed on the liquid larval diet with <0.1 µg/mL of lufenuron were also evaluated, pupal recovery, pupal weight, adult emergence, adult flier, mating, egg hatch, and egg production of C. capitata were significantly decreased while pupal recovery, larval duration, adult emergence, and egg production of B. dorsalis were affected. No effect of lufenuron on B. cucurbitae larvae was observed. Lufenuron showed significant developmental and physiological effects on larvae and adults of C. capitata and B. dorsalis and, thus, is a potential agent for their management and control.