Iara S. Joachim-Bravo

Oviposition Behavior of Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann (Diptera: Tephritidae): Association Between Oviposition Preference and Larval Performance in Individual Females

The oviposition preference and larval performance of females of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) were examined. Wild or laboratory-reared females were tested for oviposition preference in relation to papaya fruit in different stages of ripeness, as well as to two different fruits: papaya and apple. The results demonstrated that both laboratory-reared and wild females preferred ripe papaya fruit compared to unripe fruit for oviposition, and that ripe papaya was the best for larval performance. When oviposition preference was tested with different fruits (papaya and apple), both wild and laboratory-reared larvae developed better in papaya. However, only wild females showed a preference for oviposition on papaya as opposed to apple. Laboratory-reared females showed no oviposition preference on fruits that resulted in better larval performance.

Mass-rearing of Mediterranean fruit fly using low-cost yeast products produced in Brazil

Ceratitis capitata is one of the most important pests of fruits for exportation, and Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) has been the most efficient and environmental friendly technique used to control fruit fly populations around the world. A key goal in achieving a successful SIT program is a mass rearing system producing high quality insects at low cost. Providing adults with an artificial diet containing hydrolysed protein has been the major obstacle for bio-production facilities in Brazil, because it is expensive and has to be imported. Two other commercial products, autolysed yeast (AY) and yeast extract (YE), of domestic origin and low cost, were tested as substitutes of the imported hydrolyzed protein. To compare their efficiency we observed the female fecundity, adult survival and egg viability of flies raised on diets containing one of each of the different protein products. Flies reared on the domestic yeast products had equivalent or superior performance to the flies reared on imported protein. Both AY and YE can be a possible substitute for imported hydrolyzed protein for C. capitata mass-rearing, as they are cheaper and are readily available in the national market.

Effects of different protein concentrations on longevity and feeding behavior of two adult populations of Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann (Diptera: Tephritidae)

The effects of protein intake on two adult male and female populations of Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann were assessed. One population consisted of flies reared for twenty years in the laboratory (Lab-pop); the other population consisted both of flies reared in the laboratory for approximately fifteen years and of the periodically introduced wild flies (Hybrid-pop). Three diets were tested: a no-yeast diet and two diets containing yeast (protein source) at the concentrations 6.5 g or 1.5 g per 100 ml diet. The parameters analyzed were: adult longevity, diet intake with and without yeast, and discrimination threshold for yeast. Protein intake increased Lab-pop adult longevity and did not affect longevity of the Hybrid-pop. Longevity in each population was similar for males and females fed on the same diet. Food behavior were similar for male and female adults of both populations; all preferred diets containing protein (yeast). Males and females in both populations ingested similar amounts of each diet. The discrimination threshold for yeast was similar for all males (0.5 g yeast/100 ml diet); Lab-pop females were able to detect the presence of smaller quantities of yeast in their diet, thus having a higher discrimination capacity (0.4 g/100 ml diet) as compared to the Hybrid-pop females (0.6 g/ 100 ml diet).

Escolha de parceiro para acasalamento em Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae): influência do envelhecimento dos machos no sucesso de cópula

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of male ageing on male pheromone release and mating success of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). The effects of male ageing on mating were evaluated on five and 21 d-old males by assessing their mating success (males chosen by a female for copulation) and the amount of males releasing the sex pheromone. The mating success was evaluated by using several ratios of young to older males by increasing the number of older males:young males from 1:1 to 5:1. The mating success of the 1:1 ratio was also evaluated in field cages. The evaluation of the mating success (in the 1:1 ratio) showed a clear preference of the females for young males. Sex pheromone emission was much more common on young than older males. Even in cases were older males were more abundant (ratios 2:1 and 3:1), females still chose the young males. However, females could not distinguish young from older males in ratios of 4:1 or 5:1. Our data indicate that the ageing of C. capitata males has a considerable negative effect on their reproductive success, especially if they are found in a proportion any lower than 3:1.

Oviposition preference and larval performance in Ceratitis capitata (Díptera, Tephritidae)

Experiments concerning oviposition preference were carried out on Ceratitis capitata to determine whether females are able to preferentially oviposit on natural hosts in which the larvae develop better. The results indicated that the females do not preferentially oviposit on hosts of better nutritive value for the larvae.

Performance de Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann (Diptera: Tephritidae) em frutos: comparação de duas populações criadas em laboratório

This study evaluated the influence of two fruits hosts (orange and papaya) on biological and behavioral parameters of two populations of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) reared under laboratory conditions. One of these populations has been reared under laboratory conditions by 25 years without introduction of wild flies (Lab-pop), while the other has been maintained under the same conditions by 15 years but with occasional introduction of wild specimens (Hybrid-pop). The following parameters were analyzed: emergence percentage, life cycle duration (from eclosion to emergence), adult size, longevity, female fecundity and oviposition preference. The best performance of immatures of both populations was obtained on papaya as a host. Larvae reared on orange had longer life cycle, low emergence percentage and smaller adults. The fruit type did not affect fecundity and longevity of the Lab-pop, but in the Hybrid-pop males lived longer when reared on papaya, while females had higher longevity and fecundity when reared on orange. Females of both populations preferred to lay eggs in papaya (better host for larvae) when compared to orange. However, some eggs were deposited on orange only by females of Lab-pop, suggesting a lower ability for host selection of this population. These data are discussed regarding to the effects of continuous laboratory rearing on the biological parameters of this species.

Importância da ingestão de proteína na fase adulta para o sucesso de acasalamento dos machos de Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann (Diptera: Tephritidae)

The importance of the protein ingestion during the adult stage on the mating success of males of Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann was evaluated in experiments of laboratory and field cage. In laboratory, the effects of protein ingestion during the first four or 12 days of the male adult life was assessed by the following parameters: mating success (capacity of being chosen by the female) and the number of males that give out pheromonal signals. Some experiments of mating success had been carried through with males in different ratios. In these tests, the number of males which had ingested protein (an unique male) was remained constant and the number of males fed without protein was gradually increased from 1:1 to 1:5. In the field cages, the mating success experiments were done using a 1:1 ratio. The results showed that the protein ingestion in the first four days of life did not influence any of the analyzed parameters. When the period of ingestion of protein was extended to 12 days, protein-fed males fed produced more pheromonal signals and had a higher mating success when at a 1:1 ratio in laboratory and field cage assays. In laboratory, females randomly chose males in any other tested ratio (1:2, 1:3, 1:4 and 1:5), indicating that the female may lose the perception to identify the male who ingested protein in the first 12 days.