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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Insect Behavior and Biocontrol Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #275091

Title: Fruit fly parasitoid mass rearing and release: challenges and achievements

Author
item Sivinski, John

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/13/2011
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The mass-rearing and augmentative release of tephritid fruit fly parasitoids has great promise, particularly in conjunction with sterile males and in areas where insecticides cannot be widely applied. However there are challenges associated with its adoption. These include: 1) The choice of the proper parasitoid- Various fruit fly species have different environments, host ranges and vulnerabilities to particular parasitoids. Extensive knowledge of parasitoid ecology and behavior is critical in choosing which natural enemy to release; 2) Rearing expense- Parasitoids are inherently more expensive to rear than their hosts and means to minimize these expenses, including the use of females flies for parasitoid production, host irradiation to eliminate unwanted fertile hosts and the investigation into the genetic basis of Wolbachia-induced sex ratio distortion to create all female strains. 3) Release technology- In many cases aerial release are the only practical means of application, but these require adopting existing technology to very different insect morphologies. The need for empirically based release rates continues. 4) Monitoring- There are few practical means at present to monitor the survival and dispersal of fruit fly parasitoids following release. New synthetic attractants, based on fruit and larval-host odors are under development.