Journal of Pest Science (2020) 93, 507-518

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Andrea Birke, Silvia López-Ramírez, Ricardo Jiménez-Mendoza, Emilio Acosta, Rafael Ortega, Andrew Edmunds and Martín Aluja (2020)
Host marking pheromone and GF120^TM applied in a push–pull scheme reduce grapefruit infestation by Anastrepha ludens in field-cage studies
Journal of Pest Science 93 (1), 507-518
Abstract: Conventional fruit fly control via insecticides or the combination of a bait and an insecticide rarely achieves optimal results and faces mounting pressure due to its negative environmental impact. Host marking pheromones (HMPs) represent a biorational alternative that can be used as a repellent ('push') either alone or in combination with a lethal bait spray such as GF120^TM ('pull') to enhance fruit fly control efficacy. Here, we tested the synthetic HMP (Anastrephamide) of Anastrepha ludens in combination with a laced protein bait, to reduce grapefruit infestation in field-cage studies and evaluate the effectiveness of a 'push–pull' system. GF120^TM and four Anastrephamide concentrations were used: 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 g active ingredient (AI) per 100 L of water. Our control was spraying only water. 'Push,' 'pull,' and 'push–pull' approaches were tested by treating only one-half of the canopy with Anastrephamide ('push') or only with GF120^TM ('pull'), or one-half with Anastrephamide and the other with GF120™ ('push–pull' system). The 'push–pull' system worked well, as A. ludens ovipositions were mostly recorded in the GF120^TM-treated half. Regardless of the deployment strategy, the highest reduction in A. ludens infestation was obtained with 5 g AI/hl Anastrephamide, reaching efficacies (Abbott index) of 63/65% (reduction in infested fruit) and 64/61% (reduction in mean larvae and pupae/fruit) in the 'push' and 'push–pull' approaches, respectively. Several hurdles still need to be overcome, as fly behavior is more complex than originally envisioned, and a more efficient attractant is needed to increase the power of the 'pull' part of the system.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
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Database assignments for author(s): Martín Aluja

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
pheromones/attractants/traps

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Anastrepha ludens