Artificial diets for the rearing of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann, 1824) (Diptera: Thripidae)

Abstract

Ceratitiscapitata(Wiedemann,1824)(Diptera:Tephritidae)isapolyphagousinsectresponsibleforseveredamage to fruit crops worldwide. Control strategies require laboratory studies in which large quantities of individuals of this pest are required, thus requiring the implementation of mass rearing. The success of these rearing’s is dependent on the use of artificial diets, which represent one of the main costs of this system. The objective of this study was to evaluate the growth and development of C. capitata under different artificial diets. The inoculation of C. capitata eggs was performed in artificial diets based on sweet potato, yam, carrots, pumpkin, and cassava, all raw and cooked, totalizing 10 treatments, with raw carrots being the control treatment. We observed the following biometric and biological variables of C. capitata: larval and pupal viability, fecundity, fertility and sex ratio, as well as pre-oviposition, oviposition, and adult lifetime. Promising results were obtained with sweet potato and pumpkin, providing larger and heavier insects, good fecundity and fertility, longer oviposition time, and greater longevity, whose results were similar or superior to those obtained with the raw carrot-based diet. In contrast, the raw cassava diet did not allow the larvae to hatch. Unsatisfactory results were also obtained with the raw and cooked cassava-based diets, making it unfeasible to recommend them for use in artificial diets for this insect. The artificial diets derived from raw or cooked pumpkin and sweet potato were efficient as carrot substitutes in artificial diets for C. capitata.