Patricia Villa-Ayala

SIZE, FECUNDITY, AND GONADIC MATURATION OF TOXOTRYPANA CURVICAUDA (DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE)

Abstract The papaya fruit fly, Toxotrypana curvicauda Gerstaecker, is an important pest of papaya. It is distributed from Florida, USA, to northern South America. We studied aspects of its biology on papaya, Carica papaya. Females and males emerged within a 3-d period with similar numbers emerging daily. Females are heavier than males but had similar longevity. Puparial length, puparial weight, and adult weight did not correlate with adult longevity. First chorionated eggs were recorded 4 d after emergence. Females 6 d old had an average of 44 ± 2.2 (sem) chorionated eggs. Heavier females have a reproductive advantage as they have more chorionated eggs than light females. More than 85% of females lived at least 6 d.

REPELLENCY OF HYDROETHANOLIC EXTRACTS OF RICINUS COMMUNIS (EUPHORBIACEAE) TO SCYPHOPHORUS ACUPUNCTATUS (COLEOPTERA: CURCULIONIDAE) IN THE LABORATORY

ABSTRACT The agave snout weevil Scyphophorus acupunctatus Gyllenhal (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is an ubiquitous insect and the main pest of blue tequila agave, Agave tequilana Weber, and other agaves. This study reports the repellent effect of the hydroethanolic extract of the castor oil plant, Ricinus communis L. (Euphorbiaceae) wild and ‘Mirante’ cultivar on the adults behavior. Females and males visited untreated agave tissue more frequently than agave tissue treated with R. communis extracts. Insects visited agaves treated with seed extracts more frequently than those with leave extracts; therefore leaves of R. communis deserve a closer look to identify their properties and gauge their potential use as a repellent.

Effect of Age, Body Weight and Multiple Mating on Copitarsia decolora (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Reproductive Potential and Longevity

Successful behavioral-based control methods rely on the accurate knowledge of the mating dynamics of the target insect. Age at first mating affects reproductive potential and the chance of multiple mating. The cabbage moth, Copitarsia decolora (Guenée) is an important pest of a number of commodities. We investigated combinations of age, body size and mating history to determine how these variables affect insect reproductive capacity. Fecundity and fertility decreased as the age of mating pairs increased, heavy and average sized females laid more eggs than light females. Female multiple mating did not enhance fecundity nor fertility potential. Furthermore, spermatophore size did not determine female re-mating behavior. However, female fecundity and fertility was related to the male mating history. Our results show that SIT is a valuable tool for controlling this pest.

Fecundity and mating propensity of Toxotrypana curvicauda (Diptera: Tephritidae) on an alternative host, Jacaratia mexicana (Caricaceae).

ABSTRACT Adult reproductive biology, including fecundity and mating propensity, may be affected by larval host for insects such as the papaya fruit fly, Toxotrypana curvicauda that do not require protein to produce eggs. Although the reproductive biology of papaya fruit flies that were reared on papaya fruit Carica papaya L. is known, little is known of flies that develop on alternate host fruit such as Jacaratia mexicana (Caricaceae). Therefore, uninfested J. mexicana fruit were collected from the field and infested by exposing them to oviposition in the laboratory by papaya fruit flies that were obtained from field-infested papaya. Puparia of females were longer then puparia of males, but there was no difference in either puparial width or weight. Females 6 d old produced 26 eggs/ovary. There was a positive linear relationship between puparial weight and number of chorionated eggs in mature females (6–8 d old), but puparial weight was not correlated with adult longevity. Females produced 2.99 eggs per mg of weight of puparium. Adult females were larger and heavier than adult males. Papaya fruit flies reared on J. mexicana are smaller, lighter, and have fewer eggs than reported for flies reared on C. papaya.

Nitrogen fertilization sources and insecticidal activity of aqueous seeds extract of Carica papaya against Spodoptera frugiperda in maize

The damage caused by the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda Smith (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) to vegetative-stage maize cultivated with chemical nitrogen fertilizers, vermicompost, and Carica papaya L. (Caricaceae) seed extract was estimated. Each shoot was infested with one first instar larva of S. frugiperda . The variables measured included the percentage of germination, length of the second and fifth leaves, stem diameter and plant height, and the estimation of damage caused by S. frugiperda larvae on maize. The results indicated that vermicompost helped seed germination on a relation 3:1 from black soil and vermicompost, the emergence was 100%, while the emergence with black soil was 80%. The ammonium sulfate increased the length of the second and fifth leaves 89.6% and 160.4% respectively, augmented the stem diameter and the plant height 290.2% and 13.3% respectively, respect to water treatment. The exogenous nitrogen sources stimulate S. frugiperda to cause more damage to the plant, the treatment urea showed 70% of damage, with phosphonitrate 62.3% and with ammonium sulfate 51.8%, when were evaluated without aqueous seed extract of C. papaya . Ammonium sulfate + aqueous extract of C. papaya seeds showed the lowest insect damage to maize with 29.6%. Se estimo el dano causado por el gusano cogollero del maiz Spodoptera frugiperda Smith (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) durante la etapa vegetativa de maiz cultivado con fertilizantes nitrogenados quimicos, vermicomposta, y extracto acuoso de semillas de Carica papaya L. (Caricaceae). Cada brote se infesto con una larva de primer instar de S. frugiperda . Las variables evaluadas incluyen el porcentaje de germinacion. Las variables respuesta fueron el porcentaje de emergencia, longitud de la segunda y quinta hoja, diametro de tallo y altura de la planta; asi como la estimacion de dano causado por larvas de S. frugiperda al maiz. Los resultados indicaron que la vermicomposta ayudo a la emergencia de la semilla, en una relacion 3:1 de suelo con vermicomposta alcanzo 100% de emergencia, mientras que solo con suelo, la emergencia fue de 80%; el sulfato de amonio incremento el tamano de la segunda hoja y quinta hoja 89,6 y 160,4% respectivamente, aumento el diametro de tallo y la altura de la planta 290,2 y 13,3%, respecto al tratamiento donde solo se aplico agua. Las fuentes de nitrogeno estimularon que S. frugiperda ocasionara mas dano a la planta, el tratamiento con urea presento 70% de dano, con fosfonitrato 62,3%, con sulfato de amonio fue de 51,8% sin extracto acuoso de semillas de C. papaya . El tratamiento con sulfato de amonio + extracto acuoso de semillas de C. papaya registro el menor dano del insecto al maiz con 29,6%.

First record of Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) attacking Toxotrypana curvicauda Gerstaecker (Diptera: Tephritidae)

A new host record is reported for the braconid wasp Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), parasitizing papaya fruit fly larvae Toxotrypana curvicauda Gerstaecker (Diptera: Tephritidae) in México.