Are Yeast Autolysate Attractants for Ceratitis Species (Diptera: Tephritidae) in South Africa More Attractive and Palatable Than a Currently Used Protein Attractant?

Due to increasing usage of copper fungicides in citrus orchards shortly before the application of protein baits for fruit fly control and the risk of this combination causing fruit phytotoxicity, an investigation of attractants containing higher amounts of yeast autolysate rather than protein hydrolysate was conducted. A commercial yeast autolysate from Australia was less attractive than a South African product HymLure (with a mixture of autolysate and hydrolysate) to three Ceratitis species: Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), Ceratitis rosa s.s. Karsch, and Ceratitis cosyra (Walker). Other custom-formulated autolysates were also inferior to HymLure for these species. Consumption of autolysates during the first hour of feeding was similar to that of HymLure. The inferior attraction of these three species of fruit flies to autolysates, relative to one containing hydrolysate, did not warrant further investigation of autolysates for use in baits to control these quarantine pests.

Phytosanitary Treatments Against Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae): Current Situation and Future Prospects.

Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is arguably the most important tephritid attacking fruits after Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae). In 2003 it was found in Africa and quickly spread to most of the sub-Saharan part of the continent, destroying fruits and creating regulatory barriers to their export. The insect is causing new nutritional and economic losses across Africa, as well as the losses it has caused for decades in infested areas of Asia, New Guinea, and Hawaii. This new panorama represents a challenge for fruit exportation from Africa. Phytosanitary treatments are required to export quarantined commodities out of infested areas to areas where the pest does not exist and could become established. This paper describes current phytosanitary treatments against B. dorsalis and their use throughout the world, the development of new treatments based on existing research, and recommendations for further research to provide phytosanitary solutions to the problem.