Chapter 9: Augmentative biological control as a workable strategy within an area-wide integrated fruit fly management approach: case studies from Mexico and Argentina.

CANCINO, J.; AYALA, A.; SUÁREZ, L.; BUONOCORE BIANCHERI, M.J.; OVRUSKI, S.M.

Management of fruit flies in the Americas

Springer

Año: 2023; p. 41 - 92

AbstractAugmentative release of parasitoids is a highly suitable strategy to control pest fruit flypopulations. Parasitoid release is relevant within an area-wide integrated fruit fly pestmanagement (AW-IFFPM) programme because it may be used strategically with othercontrol methods. Augmentative Biological Control (= ABC) aims to release high densitiesof mass-produced into an area to suppress the population growth rate of the target fruitfly species. In Latin America, there are several examples of ABC against Ceratitiscapitata (Wiedemann), an introduced species in the early 20th century, and againstspecies of the Neotropical genus Anastrepha Schiner. Several parasitoid species havebeen used against pest tephritid fruit flies in Latin America. However, the SoutheastAsian-native larval-pupal parasitoid Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) is themain species used in ABC programmes. Successful outcomes have been achieved inMexico and central-western Argentina by D. longicaudata mass releases. In thebiofactory “BioPlanta San Juan”, located in the province of San Juan, Argentina, D.longicaudata is mass-reared on irradiated larvae of C. capitata Vienna-8 temperaturesensitive lethal (tsl) strain. This parasitoid is released in irrigated semi-arid fruit-growingvalleys, where grape, fig, olive, pome and stone fruit are mainly cultivated. Contrary inMexico, D. longicaudata is mass-produced on irradiated larvae of Anastrepha ludens(Loew) at the biofactory of the Fruit Fly National Program to release it over largersubtropical areas, in which mango, orange and guava are mainly cultivated. Post-releasedata have shown higher values than 50% of host mortality. Based on the aforementioneddifferences, this chapter provides particular information on the use of biological control,within the area-wide program in environmentally distinguishable regions. Differentadvantages, social problems and their relation with costs are also discussed.