ARS | Publication request: Methyl Farnesoate a naturally occurring juvenoid that accelerates reproductive development in Caribbean Fruit Flies

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: May 14, 2009
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Methyl farnesoate, the immediate biosynthetic precursor of juvenile hormone III (JH III) and the bisepoxide homolog of JH III was identified from hemolymph of adult males and females of the Caribbean fruit fly. Application of methyl farnesoate to newly eclosed flies resulted in precocious sexual development of males and females. The precocious development in males was manifest by production of significant amounts of pheromone on the 4th day after adult eclosion 3 days earlier than control treatred males. In females treatment resulted in production of mature eggs in ovaries at 6 days after eclosion, 2 days earlier than control treated females. The results indicate that methyl farnesoate may be an effective alternative to methoprene for use in accelerating reproductive development in sterile males used for mass release in SIT programmes.