Evaluation of SPLAT with spinosad and methyl eugenol or cue-lure for "attract-and-kill" of oriental and melon fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Hawaii.
Specialized Pheromone and Lure Application Technology (SPLAT) methyl eugenol (ME) and cue-lure (C-L) "attract-and-kill" sprayable formulations containing spinosad were compared with other formulations under Hawaiian weather conditions against oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), and melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae), respectively. Field tests were conducted with three different dispensers (Min-U-Gel, Acti-Gel, and SPLAT) and two different insecticides (naled and spinosad). SPLAT ME with spinosad was equal in performance to the standard Min-U-Gel ME with naled formulation up to 12 wk. SPLAT C-L with spinosad was equal in performance to the standard Min-U-Gel C-L with naled formulation during weeks 7 to12, but not during weeks 1-6. In subsequent comparative trials, SPLAT ME + spinosad compared favorably with the current standard of Min-U-Gel ME + naled for up to 6 wk, and it was superior from weeks 7 to 12 in two separate tests conducted in a papaya (Carica papaya L.) orchard and a guava (Psidium guajava L.) orchard, respectively. In outdoor paired weathering tests (fresh versus weathered), C-L dispensers (SPLAT + spinosad, SPLAT + naled, and Min-U-Gel + naled) were effective up to 70 d. Weathered ME dispensers with SPLAT + spinosad compared favorably with SPLAT + naled and Min-U-Gel + naled, and they were equal to fresh dispensers for 21-28 d, depending on location. Our current studies indicate that SPLAT ME and SPLAT C-L sprayable attract-and-kill dispensers containing spinosad are a promising substitute for current liquid organophosphate insecticide formulations used for areawide suppression of B. dorsalis and B. cucurbitae in Hawaii.
Vargas
Roger I
RI
U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, USDA-ARS, P.O. Box 4459, Hilo, HI 96720, USA. roger.vargas@ars.usda.gov
Stark
John D
JD
Hertlein
Mark
M
Neto
Agenor Mafra
AM
Coler
Reginald
R
Piñero
Jaime C
JC
D000818:Animals; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005054:Eugenol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005638:Fruit / Q000469:parasitology*; D006254:Hawaii; D007300:Insect Control / Q000379:methods; D007306:Insecticides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018942:Macrolides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D033621:Tephritidae / Q000187:drug effects*
D004338:Drug Combinations; D007306:Insecticides; D018942:Macrolides; C005223:methyleugenol; D005054:Eugenol; C415329:spinosad