Proceedings of 6th International Fruit Symposium 6–10 May 2002, Stellenbosch, South Africa pp. 389–392

Mass-production of obliqua at the Moscafrut Fruit Fly Facility,

T. Artiaga-López1*, E. Hernández1, J. Domínguez-Gordillo1, D.S. Moreno2 & D. Orozco-Dávila3 1Mexican National Campaign Against the Fruit Fly SAGARPA-IICA, Central Poniente No. 14. CP 30700, Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico 2Subtropical Agricultural Research Center – USDA-ARS, Weslaco, TX 78596, U.S.A. 3Program MOSCAMED-SAGARPA

The West Indian fruit fly, , is a serious pest which can be controlled using the sterile technique. From 1993 to 1995 several studies were conducted to optimize a mass- rearing system for A. obliqua. This article describes the rearing procedure and quality control parameters at the production facility.

INTRODUCTION a bubbling system, which was achieved by inject- The West Indian fruit fly, Anastrepha obliqua ing air through the egg solution with an (Macquart), is a serious economic and quarantine aquarium pump (Schwarz et al. 1985). After three pest of mango, Mangifera indica L. and guava, days of incubation,2 ml of eggs and newly-eclosed Psidium guajava L. It is the second most impor- larvae were placed on the surface of 6 kg of larval tant of economic significance in Mexico diet in a tray. The larval diet used was a modified (Aluja et al. 1987). This species is a target pest formulation of Zucoloto et al. (1979) and Moreno that can be controlled through the utilization of et al. (1997), which consisted of (by weight): 15% the sterile insect technique (SIT) (Rull Gabayet corn cob fractions, 5.83% Torula yeast, 8% corn et al. 1996). To achieve this objective a research flour, 8.33% sugar, 0.10% ‘guar’gum, 0.23% programme to develop a mass-rearing technique sodium benzoate, 0.11% methyl para-hydroxy- for A. obliqua was started at the Moscafrut Fruit benzoate (Nipagin), 0.63% citric acid and 61.77% Fly Facility in 1992. water (Artiaga-López et al. 1996). Developing larvae were kept at 25 ± 1°C and MATERIALS AND METHODS 80% R.H. for eight days until maturity, after The efficiency of the A. obliqua mass-rearing which the larvae were washed out of the me- method was evaluated over a five-year period dium. To eliminate excess water, the larvae were from 1997 to 2001, based on a number of stan- kept in trays with a mesh at the bottom for 10 dard quality control parameters. minutes. Finally, 1 l of larvae was mixed with 2 l of The mass-rearing process was started with a vermiculite (as pupation medium) and placed in colony of 67 000 adults (1:1 male:female) using a pupation room maintained at 23 ± 1°C and 70% Mission-type mass-rearing egging cages (Hernán- R.H. After 24 hours the pupae were transferred dez-Ortíz et al. 2001). The adult colony was kept in to a second room at 26° ± 1°C and 80% R.H. to a room at 27 ± 1°C, 75% R.H. Light intensity mature for 13 days. Two days before development ranged from 3000 to 6000 lux with a photoperiod was completed, the pupae were divided into two of 14:10 (L:D). Adults were continuously fed with groups, one for colony maintenance and one a mixture of three parts sugar and one part for sterilization and field release. Pupae for field enzymatic yeast hydrolysate ICN® (Message & release were irradiated with 80 Gray using a 60Co Zucoloto 1989 ). Females mated during the first source (Toledo 1993). eight days. Oviposition started on the ninth day. Data from 253 weeks from 1997 to 2001 was To collect the eggs, the gauze was lightly sprayed used to evaluate the quality parameters recom- with water and a layer of gel was applied to the mended by IAEA/FAO/USDA (2003), and in the gauze panel. This prevented the eggs oviposited Manual published by Orozco et al. (1983). Means into it from dehydrating. Eggs were collected and standard deviations were estimated using every day at 07:00 and 16:00 hours. Eggs were Microsoft® Excel 2002 software. transferred to 16-litre polycarbonate plastic bot- tles (Nalgene™), using a ratio of 1 ml of eggs per RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 60 ml of chlorinated water at 2 ppm. The eggs were incubated for three days at 27 ± 1°C using Production of sterile pupae

*To whom correspondence should be addressed. A high level of production was maintained from E-mail: [email protected] 1997 to 1998 (Fig. 1), but decreased during 1999 390 Proceedings of the 6th International Fruit Fly Symposium

Fig. 1. Production of sterile Anastrepha obliqua pupae at the Moscafrut Mass-rearing Facility from 1997 to 2001. and 2000 when only a maintenance colony of eggs per cage per day. The highest egg produc- one million pupae per per week was kept (no tion (nearly one million eggs per cage per day) sterile fly releases). The production was increased was in 1999, at a time when only to main- during 2001 in order to release five million ster- tain the colony were produced (Fig. 2). A notable ile flies per week in an eradication programme achievement in the period 1997 to 2001 was an in northeastern Mexico. The programme was suc- increase in average egg production from 0.36 to cessful. In the states of Baja California Sur and 0.49 million eggs per cage per day, with the same Sinaloa, 22 206 ha of mango and 202 ha of orange number of adults per cage (67 000). was declared free of A. obliqua. The mean survival rate from egg to was A pupal weight of 14 mg/, the minimum 50.717 ± 19.987%, and was highest between recommended by IAEA (IAEA/FAO/USDA 2003), weeks 130 and 175 (1999 to 2000) (Fig. 3). The was maintained. mean survival rate from larva to pupa was 86.522 ± 7.546% during the same period. Quality control parameters Saldanha & Silva (1999), using a meridic diet pre- During the five-year period from 1997 to 2001, pared with powdered dehydrated aracá-boi average egg production was 0.493 ± 0.149 million (Eugenia stipitata) (), obtained a larva

Fig. 2. Weekly mean Anastrepha obliqua egg production per cage per day from 1997 to 2001. Artiaga-López et al.: Mass-production of Anastrepha obliqua at the Moscafrut Facility, Mexico 391

Fig. 3. Weekly egg to larva survival rate of Anastrepha obliqua from 1997 to 2001.

Table 1. Mean production and quality control parameters for Anastrepha obliqua in the Moscafrut Mass-rearing Facility from 1997 to 2001.

Production and quality control parameters Mean ± S.D.

Egg production per cage per day (millions) 0.493 ± 0.145 Survival rate from egg to larva (%) 50.717 ± 19.987 Survival rate from larva to pupa (%) 86.522 ± 7.546 Larval weight (mg) 18.857 ± 0.795 Pupal weight (mg) 14.115 ± 0.583 Adult eclosion (%) 84.795 ± 5.421 Fliers (%) 79.664 ± 9.076 to pupa survival rate of only 38%. appreciate the technical support by Claudia Adela Mean larval weight was 18.857 ± 0.795 mg, Reyna, Juan José Cabrera, Victor Manuel and mean pupal weight was 14.115 ± 0.583 mg. Hernández, Dielman Mejia and Manuel Gamboa. Average percentage adult eclosion and fliers REFERENCES during the whole period of production (1997– ALUJA, M., CABRERA, M., RIOS, E., GUILLÉN, J., CELEDONIO, 2001) was 84.795 ± 5.421% and 79.664 ± 9.076%, H., HENDRICHS, J. & LIEDO, P. 1987. A survey of the respectively. economically important fruit flies (Diptera: Tephriti- Production parameters during the period 1997 dae) present in Chiapas and a few other fruit grow- to 2001 are summarized in Table 1. ing regions in Mexico. Florida Entomologist 70: 320–329. ARTIAGA-LÓPEZ, T., HERNÁNDEZ, E. & MONTOYA,G. 1996. CONCLUSION Determinación de la dietaóptima para la cría de Anastrepha obliqua is being successfully mass- Anastrepha obliqua McQuart (Díptera: ). reared for use in a SIT programme. According to Memoria del XXX1 Congreso Nacional y VI Latino- the current production and quality control profile, americano de Entomología. Mayo 1996. Mérida, Yucatán. the Moscafrut facility can potentially mass-pro- HERNÁNDEZ-ORTÍZ, E., ARTIAGA-LÓPEZ, T. & duce 50 million sterile pupae per week. DOMÍNGUEZ-GORDILLO, J. 2001. Métodos para la colonización y cría de moscas de la fruta.In: Memorias ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS del XIV Curso Internacional sobre Moscas de la Fruta. CICMF.111–119.Complejo Bioindustrial MOSCAMED- The authors are grateful to Mexican National MOSCAFRUT SAGARPA-IICA. Metapa de Domínguez, Campaign Against Fruit Fly and the Mediterranean Chiapas, Mexico. Fruit Fly Program in Chiapas, Mexico. We sincerely IAEA/FAO/USDA 2003. A Manual of Quality Control for 392 Proceedings of the 6th International Fruit Fly Symposium

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