Phytoparasitica (1996) 24, p. 132 (Mazor)

Michal Mazor (1996)
Development of a food bait for the Mediterranean fruit fly
Phytoparasitica 24 (2), 132-132
The 8th Conference of the Entomological Society of Israel, January 18, 1996 (Bet Dagan, Israel)
Abstract: Reports on the use of food lures attractive to fruit flies as baits (combined with poison or in traps) have been published since the beginning of the century. The first commercial fruit fly bait (PIB-7), marketed in the 1950s, was a corn protein hydrolysate developed on the basis of McPhail's findings on the attraction of fruit flies to protein hydrolysates. Further commercial products have been developed since then, but there has been no breakthrough that improved their efficiency. Numerous studies were conducted to identify attractive volatiles released from a commercial protein hydrolysate and by the biological degradation of nutrients from protein hydrolysates. However, the results of these studies were solely two new bait mixtures without improved attractancy. Ammonia and some ammonia-releasing compounds were tested, among other substances, as baits for fruit flies, but there are conflicting results concerning their effectiveness. While testing the relationship between increasing the concentrations of ammoniacal aqueous solutions and the positive response of the flies, we found a clear correlation between the two parameters, which is linear up to the concentration at which the ammonia solution turns rejective. This may be the reason for contradictory results between different studies in which the release rate of ammonia was not measured. Feces are a common source for proteinaceous food in nature, and are attractive for fruit flies. In the search for alternative substances which might render the bait more attractive, we examined a series of poultry and dairy manures. Prelimiminary results were promising, insofar as the manures tested were as attractive as, and in a few cases even more attractive than, the commercial baits Naziman (Tamogan, an lsraeli product), Buminal (Bayer, Leverkusen, Germany) and Nu-Lure (the new name for PIB-7). Data from the literature and our findings support our conjecture that ammonia is the key factor in the attractiveness of a protein hydrolysate bait. For example, by raising the pH of the bait solution, more ammonia is released and the solution becomes more attractive. The main aim of this research is to develop a more efficient bait and to avoid the most prominent disadvantage of the conventional baits, namely, batch-to-batch variability. We hope to overcome this by composing the bait from defined chemicals. The development of the bait is a two-pronged effort: (i) locating a substance with a constant and optimal release rate of ammonia for attracting the flies; and (ii) composing a combination of the above substances with phagostimulatory and arrestant materials, to encourage the flies to make contact with the bait and consume it.
Database assignments for author(s): Michal Mazor

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Ceratitis capitata