Chemosterilization of Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera: Tephritidae) with an insect growth regulator

Abstract

Anastrepha fraterculus is a fruit pest of economic importance in South America and northwestern Argentina. Currently, it is controlled with toxic baits but there is a demand for environmentally acceptable methodologies. The use of inhibitors of the chitin synthesis is proposed as a tool to sterilize adults in the field. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of different doses of lufenuron to generate chemosterilization in A. fraterculus. Three experiments were performed. In the first two, the product was incorporated into the diet of the adults from emergence to sexual maturity. Treated individuals from one sex were crossed with untreated individuals from the other sex. Eggs were collected and allowed embryonic development. In the third trial, untreated males and females were crossed and allowed to copulate. Subsequently, females were exposed to the product and the eggs were collected. Egg hatch was affected in the three experiments in a dose dependent way. In Experiment 3, the effect of the product was evidenced 48 hours after exposure. Fecundity was also affected when the females were the treated sex. The results show that exposure of adults to lufenuron reduces egg hatch in A. fraterculus encouraging further investigations to adapt this methodology for this species.