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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 #230289
Title: Managing Oriental Fruit Fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae), Using Spinosad-Based Protein Bait Sprays in Papaya Orchards in Hawaii

Author
item PINERO, JAIME - UNIV OF HAWAII
item MAU, RON - UNIV OF HAWAII
item Vargas, Roger

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/15/2008
Publication Date: 4/20/2009
Citation: Pinero, J.C., Mau, R.F., Vargas, R.I. 2009. Managing Oriental Fruit Fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae), Using Spinosad-Based Protein Bait Sprays in Papaya Orchards in Hawaii. Journal of Economic Entomology. 102:1123-1132

Interpretive Summary: In a field study conducted in papaya orchards in Hawaii applications of the protein bait GF-120 proved successful at managing oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis. Oriental fruit fly is an invasive, very aggressive insect pest that attacks nearly 200 plant species. Two important components of this study were field sanitation and mass trapping using the male-specific lure methyl eugenol. GF-120 was sprayed week using a 10% mixture applied to the foliage of papaya trees and a 40% mixture applied to border areas. Level of field sanitation was assessed. Trap capture and papaya infestation data served as indicators of the relative effectiveness of the GF-120 applications. Under our approach, applications of GF-120 did not impact negatively parasitism rates by Fopius arisanus, a parasitic wasp introduced to Hawaii as a biological control agent of fruit flies including B. dorsalis.

Technical Abstract: The efficacy of GF-120 Fruit Fly Bait was evaluated as a control of female oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) in papaya orchards in Hawaii. Two important components of this study were field sanitation and mass trapping using the male-specific lure methyl eugenol. Three different spray regimes were evaluated: every row (high use of GF-120), every 5th row (moderate), and every 10th row (low). Orchard plots in which no GF-120 was applied were used as controls. A 10% mixture of GF-120 was applied to the foliage of papaya trees once a week for 14 wk and a 40% mixture was applied to border areas. Level of field sanitation was assessed both weekly (qualitatively) and every 6 wk (quantitatively). Trap capture and papaya infestation data served as indicators of the relative effectiveness of the GF-120 applications. For five of the seven bi-weekly periods that followed the first spray of GF-120, trapping data revealed significantly fewer female B. dorsalis captured in plots subject to high and moderate use of GF-120 than in control plots. Differences in incidence of infestation among treatments were detected only by the third (12 wk after first spray) tree-fruit sampling, with significantly fewer quarter ripe and half ripe fruit infested in plots subject to high and moderate use of GF-120 compared to control plots. Parasitism rates by Fopius arisanus (Braconidae) were not affected by GF-120 application.