Net choice is key to the augmentorium technique of fruit fly sequestration and parasitoid release
Research highlights
► The mesh of the augmentorium net needs to be adapted to local conditions. ► A selected mesh (hole area 3 mm²) sequesters all three species of fruit fly tested. ► Two parasitoid species of these fruit flies can escape through this mesh ► Use of this technique is perfectly compatible with biological control. ► Farmers were enthusiastic about using this augmentorium prototype.
Introduction
Fruit Flies (Diptera, Tephritidae) are one of the most damaging groups of agricultural pests in the world (Bateman, 1972, White and Elson-Harris, 1992, Dhillon et al., 2005). A total of eight tephritid fruit fly species occur in Reunion Island, where they are considered the main pests of vegetable and fruit crops (Etienne, 1982, Quilici et al., 2005, Ryckewaert et al., 2010). Three of these species attack fruits in the plant family Cucurbitaceae: Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett), Dacus ciliatus Loew and Dacus demmerezi Bezzi. Another fruit fly species attacks fruits in the plant family Solanaceae: Neoceratitis cyanescens (Bezzi). The other four species attack fruit crops (e.g., mango, Citrus spp.): Bactrocera zonata (Saunders), Ceratitis rosa (Karsch), Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) and Ceratitis catoirii Guérin-Méneville (Etienne, 1982, Quilici et al., 2005).
In cucurbit crops, the damage caused by the flies can reach 100% of the yield, and insecticides (mainly pyrethroids and organophosphates), are no longer effective (Vayssières et al., 2008). Furthermore, chemical control has some collateral and negative effects on health, biodiversity (particularly on natural enemies and pollinators) and the environment. In particular, the impact of the two most important fruit fly parasitoids imported and which established in Reunion Island, Psyttalia fletcheri (Silvestri) and Fopius arisanus (Sonan), is probably limited by insecticide applications (Quilici et al., 2004, Quilici et al., 2005, Rousse et al., 2006).
In an IPM program, preventive measures are known to be effective against different kinds of pests (Conway, 1996, Masanza et al., 2005, Deguine et al., 2009) and especially against fruit flies (Liquido, 1991). In this respect sanitation against fruit flies is one of the key techniques for the management of their populations (Liquido, 1993, Verghese et al., 2004, Mziray et al., 2010) and forms the basis of the IPM program.
This preventive approach has been studied by USDA in Hawaii against fruit flies, especially in the last decade with the use of augmentorium1 (Klungness et al., 2005, Jang et al., 2007). An augmentorium is a tent-like structure, placed adjacent to a cultivated field, where farmers can regularly deposit infested fruit. The augmentorium sequesters adult flies that emerge from infested fruit while allowing parasitoids to escape, thus “augmenting” their population. To do this, the augmentorium has a net placed at the top of the structure through which flies cannot escape, but parasitoids can. To implement this technique in Reunion Island, a first local prototype was recently designed (Deguine et al., 2008) (Fig. 1).
In order to address the need of local farmers, the aim of the present study was to measure the efficiency of the mesh of different nets, which may play a key role, on different species of fruit flies (for sequestration) and different species of parasitoids (for augmentation). This study is thus a contribution to the knowledge of the efficiency of a new sanitation tool in crop protection against fruit flies. It could also be a first step in trying to use an augmentorium as a sanitation tactic for a fruit fly management program.
Section snippets
Materials and methods
The experiments were conducted in Reunion Island in the first half of 2008 in the laboratory and with the facilities of the Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD) in Saint-Pierre.
Characteristics of the nets
Figure 2 shows the different nets selected for the experiment and the measurements of length, width and surface of the mesh of the four types of nets. The mesh of net 4 was the largest (3 mm2) and had the shape of a parallelogram. Table 2 shows a comparative analysis of technical and economic parameters for the 4 types of nets. For these parameters, the fourth net (rank 1) represented the best combination: available, cheap, of suitable mesh size and good general quality.
Efficacy of the mesh for fly sequestration
The qualitative tests
Discussion
Net #4 systematically showed the best performance (technical, sequestration of flies and escape of parasitoids). This net had the largest mesh hole (3 mm2) of the four nets tested and was parallelogram shaped. This shape may allow for better sequestration of the flies.
This study demonstrated the efficiency of one of the tested nets as a top screen in an augmentorium, both for the sequestration of fruit flies and for the augmentation of parasitoids.An augmentorium can be considered to be a
Acknowledgements
We acknowledge Marie-Ludders Moutoussamy, Cedric Ajaguin Soleyen (CIRAD) and Matthias Duval (Institut Universitaire Technologique of Saint-Pierre, University of La Réunion) for their contribution to the augmentorium sanitation trials. We thank Derek Russell (Melbourne University), Grant McQuate (USDA-ARS Hawaii) and Mike Klungness for their help in reading and correcting the manuscript. Funding for this research was provided by Odeadom (Office de Développement de l'Economie Agricole des
References (25)
An overview of the influence of sustainable agricultural systems on plant diseases
Crop Prot.
(1996)- et al.
Effect of crop sanitation on banana weevil Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) populations and crop damage in farmers’ fields in Uganda
Crop Prot.
(2005) - et al.
Spatial and temporal abundance of the solanum fruit fly, Bactrocera latifrons (Hendel), in Morogoro, Tanzania
Crop Prot.
(2010) - et al.
Host specificity of the egg pupal parasitoid Fopius arisanus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in La Réunion
Biol. Control
(2006) - et al.
Economic evaluation of the integrated management of the oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae) in mango in India
Crop Prot.
(2004) The ecology of fruit flies
Annu. Rev. Entomol.
(1972)- Deguine, J.-P., Duval, M., Quilici, S., Moutoussamy, M.-L., Ajaguin-Soleyen, C., Laurent P., 2008. The augmentorium: a...
- et al.
Crop Protection: From Agrochemistry to Agroecology
(2009) - et al.
The Melon Fruit Fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae: a review of its biology and management
J. Insect Sci.
(2005) - et al.
Survival and development of different life stages of three Ceratitis spp. (Diptera: Tephritidae) reared at five constant temperatures
Bull. Entomol. Res.
(2002)
Survival and development of different life stages of Bactrocera zonata (Diptera: Tephritidae) reared at five constant temperatures compared to other fruit fly species
Bull. Entomol. Res.
Etude systématique, faunistique et écologique des Tephritides de La Réunion
Cited by (19)
Qualitative modeling of fruit fly injuries on chayote in Réunion: Development and transfer to users
2021, Crop ProtectionCitation Excerpt :The 50 independent locations selected were diversified in terms of their cropping practices, in particular phytosanitary practices, geographical location and surrounding landscape (Table 1). 23 fields used prophylactic measures, i.e. sanitation using an augmentorium (Deguine et al., 2011); 22 sexual trapping; 16 adulticide baits; 31 soil cover; 50 irrigation; 5 low, 34 intermediate, and 11 high fertilization respectively; 23 low, 12 intermediate, and 15 high use of insecticides. In addition, the observed intensities of fruit fly damage were fairly evenly distributed across the IPSIM-chayote rating scale used in the model (Table 1).
Host location and dispersal ability of the cosmopolitan parasitoid Trichopria drosophilae released to control the invasive spotted wing Drosophila
2018, Biological ControlCitation Excerpt :This increment became evident in the third week, corresponding to the emergence of the first T. drosophilae generation from the augmentoria-collected fruit. Previously, the augmentorium technique has been successfully applied against different fruit fly species in Hawaii and Reunion Island (Jang et al., 2007; Deguine et al., 2011). There are two key factors for the success of this technique: 1) the choice of net, which should be able to sequester the target pest but allow its parasitoids to pass through it, and 2) the application of the augmentoria with an area wide approach and over a long time period (Deguine et al., 2011).
Host stage preference, efficacy and fecundity of parasitoids attacking Drosophila suzukii in newly invaded areas
2015, Biological ControlCitation Excerpt :The current study shows some potential of these resident parasitoids to impact D. suzukii. In the scope of IPM programs, new sanitation strategies against fruit flies based on the concept of “Augmentoria” have been studied (Deguine et al., 2011; Jang et al., 2007; Klungness et al., 2005). An augmentorium is a container, or a series of containers, placed adjacent to a cultivated field, where farmers can regularly deposit infested fruits.
Ecology, invasion history and biodiversity-driven management of the coconut black-headed caterpillar Opisina arenosella in Asia
2023, Frontiers in Plant Science