[01] Muhammad Sarwar, Nuclear Institute for Agriculture & Biology (NIAB), Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan.

Fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a major trade barrier for many fruit and vegetable crops, and any strategies which improve field control can provide economic benefits for growers with the potential to enhance market access opportunities. This paper is aimed at improving fruit fly’s control in major commercial horticulture crops and implementing more serious consideration given to the eradication of injurious species. Early eradication of invasive fruit flies depends largely on the deployment of both effective and safe detection and control systems. Timely detection of these serious pests prompts the adoption and application of measures to contain fruit flies with a view to their eradication. Amongst the focal methods used for fruit fly’s control, the Male Annihilation Technique (MAT) involves the use of a high density of bait stations consisting of a male lure combined with an insecticide, to reduce the male population of fruit flies to such a low level that mating with female flies does not occur. This technique may be used for the control of those fruit fly species of the genera Bactrocera and Dacus that are attracted to male lures (cuelure or methyl eugenol). The commercial product mehtyl eugenol is used for trapping of Oriental fruit flies (Bactrocera dorsalis), whereas cue-lure is used to trap the male of melon fly (Bactrocera cucurbitae), and Trimedlure captures Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata). The technique can be achieved successfully by distributing cordelitos (cotton string) or caneite (compressed fibre board) blocks (50 mm x 50 mm x 12.7 mm), or coconut husk blocks impregnated with the lure and insecticide mixture. These are distributed from the ground or air in densities of at least 400 per km² and the treatment is repeated every eight weeks. This study has shown the several examples of the successful eradication of fruit flies by male annihilation technique on its own, or in combination with other methods. Outstanding successes using this method have been recorded for eradicating and to get rid of notorious fruit flies worldwide.

Fruit Fly, Male Annihilation Technique, Insecticides, Pheromone and Lure Application

[01] Allwood, A.J., Vueti, E.T., Leblanc, L. and Bul, R. 2002. Eradication of introduced Bactrocera species (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Nauru using male annihilation and protein bait application techniques. Pp. 19-25. In: Veitch, C.R, and M.N. Clout (eds). Turning the tide: The eradication of invasive species. Occasional papers of the IUCN Species Survival Commission. No. 27. [02] Christenson, L.D. 2009. The Male Annihilation Technique in the Control of Fruit Flies: New Approaches to Pest Control and Eradication. Advances in Chemistry, 41: 31-35. [03] Dominiak, B.C. and Nicol, H.I. 2012. Chemical analysis of male annihilation blocks used in the control of Queensland fruit fly Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt) in New South Wales. Plant Protection Quarterly, 27 (1): 31-35. [04] European Plant Protection Organization (EPPO). 2010. IPM 9/ 11 (1): Bactrocera zonata: Procedure for official control. EPPO Bulletin, 40 (3): 390-395. [05] Ghanim, N.M. 2013. Influence of Methyl Eugenol Diluted with Paraffin Oil on Male Annihilation Technique of Peach Fruit Fly, Bactrocera zonata (Saunders) (Diptera: Tephritidae). Entomology, Ornithology & Herpetology, 2 (3): 114. [06] Ghanim, N.M., Moustafa, S.A., El-Metwally, M.M., Afia, Y.E., Salman, M.S. and Mostafa, M.S. 2010. Efficiency of some insecticides in male annihilation technique of peach fruit fly, Bactrocera zonata (Saunders) under Egyptian conditions. Egypt. Acad. J. Biolog. Sci., 2 (1): 13-19. [07] Hussain, A., Ahmad, S., Jan S. and Safiullah. 2010. Efficacy of Different Control Methods against Oriental Fruit Fly Bactrocera zonata (Saunders). Journal of Agricultural and Biological Science, 5 (2): 1-3. [08] Leblanc, L., Vargas, R.I., MacKey, B., Putoa, R. and Jaime, C.P. 2011. Evaluation of Cue-Lure and Methyl Eugenol Solid Lure and Insecticide Dispensers for Fruit Fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) Monitoring and Control in Tahiti. Florida Entomologist, 94 (3): 510-516. [09] Mau, R.F.L., Jang, E.B. and Vargas, R.I. 2007. The Hawaii area-wide fruit fly pest management programme: Insuence of partnership and a good education programme. pp. 671-683. In: M. J. B. Vreysen, A. S. Robinson, and J. Hendrichs, eds. Area-wide Control of Insect Pests: From Research to Field Implementation. Springer, Dordrecht, Netherlands. [10] Permalloo, S., Seewooruthun, S.I., Soonnoo, A., Gungah, B., Unmole, L. and Boodram, R. 1997. An area wide control of fruit flies in Mauritius. In: Lalouette, J.A., Bachraz, D.Y., Sukurdeep, N., Seebaluck, B.D. editors. Proceedings of the Second Annual Meeting of Agricultural Scientists, 12-13 August 1997, Food and Research Council, Reduit, Mauritius. p. 203-210. [11] Sarwar, M. 2012. Frequency of Insect and mite Fauna in Chilies Capsicum annum L., Onion Allium cepa L. and Garlic Allium sativum L. Cultivated Areas, and their Integrated Management. International Journal of Agronomy and Plant Production, 3 (5): 173-178. [12] Sarwar, M. 2013. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) - A Constructive Utensil to Manage Plant Fatalities. Research and Reviews: Journal of Agriculture and Allied Sciences, 2 (3): 1-4. [13] Sarwar, M. 2014 a. Knowing About Identify and Mode of Damage by Insect Pests Attacking Winter Vegetables and Their Management. Journal of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, 2 (4): 1-8. [14] Sarwar, M. 2014 b. Some Insect Pests (Arthropoda: Insecta) of Summer Vegetables, Their Identification, Occurrence, Damage and Adoption of Management Practices. International Journal of Sustainable Agricultural Research, 1 (4): 108-117. [15] Sarwar, M. 2015 a. Biological Control Program to Manage Fruit Fly Pests and Related Tephritids (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Backyard, Landscape and Garden. International Journal of Animal Biology, 1 (4): 118-123. [16] Sarwar, M. 2015 b. How to Manage Fruit Fly (Family Tephritidae) Pests Damage on Different Plant Host Species by take up of Physical Control Measures. International Journal of Animal Biology, 1 (4): 124-129. [17] Sarwar, M. 2015 c. Cultural Measures as Management Option against Fruit Flies Pest (Tephritidae: Diptera) in Garden or Farm and Territories. International Journal of Animal Biology, 1 (5): 165-171. [18] Sarwar, M. 2015 d. Mechanical Control Prospectus to Aid in Management of Fruit Flies and Correlated Tephritid (Diptera: Tephritidae) Pests. International Journal of Animal Biology, 1 (5): 190-195. [19] Sarwar, M. 2015 e. Quarantine Treatments for Mortality of Eggs and Larvae of Fruit Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) Invading Fresh Horticulture Perishable Produces. International Journal of Animal Biology, 1 (5): 196-201. [20] Sarwar, M. 2015 f. Genetic Control Tactic against Fruit Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) Insect to Escape Destruction of Perishable Horticulture Crops. International Journal of Animal Biology, 1 (5): 209-214. [21] Sarwar, M. 2015 g. Attraction of Female and Male Fruit Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) to Bait Spray Applications for Reduction of Pest Populations. International Journal of Animal Biology, 1 (5): 225-230. [22] Sarwar, M. 2015 h. Field Tests for Exploiting the Behavioral Control Tactics to Pest Tephritid Fruit Flies (Insecta: Diptera). International Journal of Animal Biology, 1 (5): 243-248. [23] Sarwar, M., Ahmad, N., Rashid, A. and Shah, S.M.M. 2015. Valuation of gamma irradiation for proficient production of parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae & Eucoilidae) in the management of the peach fruit-fly, Bactrocera zonata (Saunders). International Journal of Pest Management, 61 (2): 126-134. [24] Sarwar, M., Hamed, M., Rasool, B., Yousaf, M. and Hussain, M. 2013. Host Preference and Performance of Fruit Flies Bactrocera zonata (Saunders) and Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae) For Various Fruits and Vegetables. International Journal of Scientific Research in Environmental Sciences, 1 (8): 188-194. [25] Sarwar, M., Hamed, M., Yousaf, M. and Hussain, M. 2014 a. Monitoring of Population Dynamics and Fruits Infestation of Tephritid Fruit Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Guava (Psidium guajava L.) Orchard. Journal of Agriculture and Allied Sciences, 3 (2): 36-40. [26] Sarwar, M., Hamed, M., Yousaf, M. and Hussain, M. 2014 b. Monitoring of Population Density and Fruit Infestation Intensity of Tephritid Fruit Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Citrus reticulata Blanco Orchard. Journal of Zoological Sciences, 2 (3): 1-5. [27] Sarwar, M., Hamed, M., Yousaf, M. and Hussain, M. 2014 c. Surveillance on Population Dynamics and Fruits Infestation of Tephritid Fruit Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Mango (Mangifera indica L.) Orchards of Faisalabad, Pakistan. International Journal of Scientific Research in Environmental Sciences, 2 (4): 113-119. [28] Shah, S.M.M., Ahmad, N., Sarwar, M. and Tofique, M. 2014. Rearing of Bactrocera zonata (Diptera: Tephritidae) for parasitoids production and managing techniques for fruit flies in mango orchards. International Journal of Tropical Insect Science, 34 (S1): 108-113. [29] Stonehouse, J.M., Mumford, J.D., Verghese, A., Shukla,, R.P., Stapathy, S., Singh, H.S., Jiji, T., Thomas, J., Patel, Z.P., Jhala, R.C., Patel, R.K., Manzar, A., Shivalingaswamy, T.M., Mohantha, A.K., Nair, B., Vidya, C.V., Jagadale, V.S., Sisodiya, D.B. and Joshi, B.K. 2007. Village-level area-wide fruit fly suppression in India: Bait application and male annihilation at village level and farm level. Crop Protection, 26: 788-793. [30] Vargas, R.I., Leblanc, L., Putoa, R. and Eitam, A. 2007. Impact of introduction of Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae) and classical biological control releases of Fopius arisanus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on economically important fruit flies in French Polynesia. J. Econ. Entomol., 100: 670-679. [31] Vargas, R., Souder, S.K., Mackey, B., Cook, P., Morse, J.G. and Stark, J.D. 2012. Field trials of solid triple lure (trimedlure, methyl eugenol, raspberry ketone, and DDVP) dispensers for detection and male annihilation of Ceratitis capitata, Bactrocera dorsalis, and Bactrocera cucurbitae (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Hawaii. J. Econ Entomol., 105 (5): 1557-1565. [32] Zaheeruddin, M. 2007. Study of diffusion and adoption of male annihilation technique. International J. Education and Development using Information and Communication Technology, 3: 89-99.