Use of toxic bait to manage the south american fruit fly in apple orchards in southern brazil

Abstract

Anastrepha fraterculus the South American fruit fly, is an important insect pest in apple orchards of southern Brazil, especially in small farms, where it often causes total crop loss. Experiments were conducted to evaluate, during four crop seasons (2009/2010, 2010/2011, 2012/2013, and 2013/2014) in organic and conventional apple orchards in southern Brazil, the toxic bait formulation ANAMED™ (oils and waxes 49.0% + M7 attractant 24.2% + spinosad insecticide 0.1%) for its capacity to reduce the South American fruit fly population. ANAMED applications started after apples with an average diameter of 20 mm had been thinned, and they were made every 14 days until harvest. ANAMED was sprayed on non-crop vegetation growing on the edges of the orchards at a rate of 1.0 kg.ha-1. Adult fruit flies were monitored weekly using McPhail traps baited with Torula™ yeast. Injured fruits were evaluated seven days before harvest. ANAMED reduced the adult population of trapped fruit flies captured in all crop seasons and the injured fruit, except for the first year of evaluation (2009/2010). In conclusion, the sequential use of ANAMED toxic bait over time significantly reduced adult populations of A. fraterculus and the percentage of fruits injured by this pest.