Chemosterilants as control agents of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) in field trials

[EN] Lufenuron is a chitin synthesis inhibitor, which is able to impede Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), reproduction. In laboratory trials, following ingestion of lufenuron, the eggs laid by female Ceratitis capitata were prevented from hatching. In field trials in Valencia, Spain, lufenuron showed its effectiveness by reducing C. capitata wild populations and its continuous application to several generations of fruit fly resulted in increased pest control. This field trial was conducted in an isolated valley some 80ha in size, over a continuous four-year period. In order to maintain the sterilizing effect in the field throughout the whole year, a new lufenuron bait gel was developed. This bait gel was introduced in to delta traps suspended in trees at a density of 24 traps ha 1, and these traps were replaced once a year during the field trial. Monitoring of the adult C. capitata population was conducted to assess the effects of the chemosterilant treatment. In the first year of treatment with sterilizing traps, a reduction of the C. capitata population was observed, indicating that the traps reduce the population right from the first generation. In the second, third and fourth years, a continuous and progressive reduction of the adult Mediterranean fruit fly population was observed. Therefore, the successive application of chemosterilization treatment has a cumulative effect on reducing the fly population year after year. Aerial treatment using malathion does not produce this cumulative effect, and consequently every year it is necessary to start again with the same number of flies as the year before. The possibility of using the chemosterilant method alone or combined with the sterile insect technique is discussed.The authors thank Stephen Skillman for helpful suggestions on the first version of the manuscript, Syngenta for supplying technical grade lufenuron, and the R&D+i Linguistic Assistance Office at the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia for their help in revising and correcting this paper. This research has been supported by ‘Fundación José y Ana Royo’, ‘Conselleria d’Agricultura Peixca i Alimentacio-GVA’ and INIA project number RTA03-103-C6.Navarro Llopis, V.; Sanchis Cabanes, J.; Primo Millo, J.; Primo Yufera, E. (2007). Chemosterilants as control agents of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) in field trials. Bulletin of Entomological Research. 97(4):359-368. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007485307005081S35936897

A New Long-Life Trimedlure Dispenser for Mediterranean Fruit Fly

[EN] New agricultural techniques are attempting to reduce the application of synthesized pesticides and replace them with new environmentally friendly methods such as mass trapping, mating disruption, or chemosterilization techniques. All these methods are based oil the release of a lure for insect attraction or confusion. The Success of the chosen method depends on the quality of the attractant emission from the dispenser. Currently, used dispensers with a polymeric matrix and new dispensers with mesoporous inorganic materials were evaluated to obtain more efficient emission kinetics. In this Study, the selected pest was the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) and the lure used vas trimedlure (TML). The dispensers were validated by means of a field study comparing insect catches with attractant release values. As a result, we have demonstrated that mesoporous dispensers have it clearly longer lifetime than the polymeric Plug. Furthermore, the attractant release rate is less dependent oil temperature in mesoporous than in polymeric dispensers.Domínguez Ruiz, J.; Sanchis Cabanes, J.; Navarro-Llopis, V.; Primo Millo, J. (2008). A New Long-Life Trimedlure Dispenser for Mediterranean Fruit Fly. Journal of Economic Entomology. 101(4):1325-1330. doi:10.1093/jee/101.4.1325S13251330101

Evaluation of Traps and Lures for Mass Trapping of Mediterranean fruit fly in Citrus Groves

[EN] Mass trapping has proven to be a powerful weapon in the control of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), and its application in Mediterranean countries has currently increased notably as a control method. In this study, the efÞcacy of newly developed traps and dispensers of attractants were assessed with the aim of Þnding the best trap and set the lifetime of the dispensers, thus improving the total efÞcacy of mass trapping. EfÞcacy trials with six different types of traps and six different types of female dispensers were carried out. Moreover, the lifetime of three female dispensers, including a new attractant composition dispenser with n-methyl pyrrolidine, were studied. Results show signiÞcant differences among the trap types using female attractants, with an advantage of nearly 3 times more catches in best trap. Tested female dispensers showed no signiÞcant differences in efÞcacy between trimethylamine and putrescine attractants regard n-methyl pyrrolidine, however we observed differences in lifetime between dispensers. Thus, there are signiÞcant differences among different types of traps and dispensers in efÞcacy, and the appropriate selection of the trap and dispenser will improve the mass trapping resultsNavarro-Llopis, V.; Alfaro, F.; Domínguez Ruiz, J.; Sanchis Cabanes, J.; Primo Millo, J. (2008). Evaluation of Traps and Lures for Mass Trapping of Mediterranean fruit fly in Citrus Groves. Journal of Economic Entomology. 1(101):126-131. doi:10.1093/jee/101.1.126S126131110

Efficacy of lufenuron as chemosterilant against Ceratitis capitata in field trials

[EN] Two field trials in citrus orchards in Turis (Valencia, Spain) and Denia (Alicante, Spain) were performed in order to test the sterilant effect of the insect growth regulator lufenuron against wild medfly Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) populations. Two application methods for lufenuron were tested: spraying, in spots, an emulsion of lufenuron in a protein bait, and hanging delta traps that contained a proteinaceous gel with lufenuron (solid bait). The sterilant effect was measured as medfly population reduction, reduction of fruit damage in treated fields, and the number of eggs hatching in punctured fruits. In order to assess the efficacy of lufenuron treatments, we recorded results obtained from two different zones in both trial fields: an outer zone, close to untreated fields, and an inner zone, in the centre of lufenuron treated fields. We observed a minimum sterilant effect in the outer zone and a maximum sterilant effect in the inner one. The maximum sterilant effect was in the inner zone, where a reduction of medfly population of 80.4% in the sprayed field and a reduction of 77.6% in the solid bait field was observed. In addition, the greater the distance from the untreated zones of the treated orchard (inwards), the lower the fruit damage and medfly population level. In this inner zone, fruit punctured by medfly developed significantly fewer larvae (38.8%) than punctured fruits from the outer zone (68.6%). In addition, we recorded the decline in the activity of the lufenuron treatments with time. Lufenuron activity persisted in field for at least two weeks with spray applications, and for three months with bait gels. (C) 2004 Society of Chemical Industry.[ES] Se realizaron dos ensayos de campo en huertos de cítricos en Turis (Valencia, España) y Denia (Alicante, España) para probar el efecto esterilizante del regulador del crecimiento de insectos lufenurón en poblaciones silvestres de moscamed Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). Se probaron dos métodos de aplicación del lufenurón: pulverización en puntos, de una emulsión de lufenurón en un cebo proteico y trampas delta colgantes que contenían un gel proteico con lufenurón (cebo sólido). El efecto esterilizante se midió como la reducción de la población de moscamed, la reducción del daño de la fruta en los campos tratados y el número de huevos que eclosionan en las frutas perforadas. Para evaluar la eficacia de los tratamientos con lufenurón, se registraron los resultados obtenidos en dos zonas diferentes en ambos campos de prueba: una zona exterior, cerca de los campos no tratados, y una zona interior, en el centro de los campos tratados con lufenurón. Se observó un efecto esterilizante mínimo en la zona exterior y un efecto esterilizante máximo en la zona interior. El máximo efecto esterilizante fue en la zona interior, donde se observó una reducción de la población de mosca med del 80,4% en el campo asperjado y una reducción del 77,6% en el campo de cebo sólido. Además, cuanto mayor es la distancia de las zonas no tratadas del huerto tratado (hacia el interior), menor es el daño de la fruta y el nivel de población de moscamed. En esta zona interna, los frutos atacados por moscamed desarrollaron significativamente menos larvas (38,8%) que los frutos atacados en la zona exterior (68,6%). Además, se registró la disminución de la actividad de los tratamientos con lufenurón con el tiempo. La actividad de lufenurón persistió en el campo durante al menos dos semanas con aplicaciones de aspersión y durante tres meses con geles de cebo. (C) 2004 Society of Chemical Industry.We wish to thank Hiper-Riego and Jose Soler for lending their orchards for the field trial. Francisco Cuenca helped with the monitoring of punctured fruit. This research was funded by the Conseller´ıa de Agricultura de la Generalitat Valenciana, and Fundacion Jose y Ana Rollo. We also thank Fernando ´ Alfaro Lassala for his advice in field trial methodologyNavarro-Llopis, V.; Sanchis Cabanes, J.; Ayala Mingol, I.; Casaña Giner, V.; Primo Yufera, E. (2004). Efficacy of lufenuron as chemosterilant against Ceratitis capitata in field trials. Pest Management Science. 60(9):914-920. doi:10.1002/ps.902S91492060

Oral Antioxidant Vitamins and Magnesium Limit Noise-Induced Hearing Loss by Promoting Sensory Hair Cell Survival: Role of Antioxidant Enzymes and Apoptosis Genes

Noise induces oxidative stress in the cochlea followed by sensory cell death and hearing loss. The proof of principle that injections of antioxidant vitamins and Mg2+ prevent noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) has been established. However, effectiveness of oral administration remains controversial and otoprotection mechanisms are unclear. Using auditory evoked potentials, quantitative PCR, and immunocytochemistry, we explored effects of oral administration of vitamins A, C, E, and Mg2+ (ACEMg) on auditory function and sensory cell survival following NIHL in rats. Oral ACEMg reduced auditory thresholds shifts after NIHL. Improved auditory function correlated with increased survival of sensory outer hair cells. In parallel, oral ACEMg modulated the expression timeline of antioxidant enzymes in the cochlea after NIHL. There was increased expression of glutathione peroxidase-1 and catalase at 1 and 10 days, respectively. Also, pro-apoptotic caspase-3 and Bax levels were diminished in ACEMg-treated rats, at 10 and 30 days, respectively, following noise overstimulation, whereas, at day 10 after noise exposure, the levels of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, were significantly increased. Therefore, oral ACEMg improves auditory function by limiting sensory hair cell death in the auditory receptor following NIHL. Regulation of the expression of antioxidant enzymes and apoptosis-related proteins in cochlear structures is involved in such an otoprotective mechanism