NOVEMBER 22, 2005
ISCA TECHNOLOGIES AND USDA AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE CONCLUDE CRADA FOR THE JOINT DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TRAP AND LURE FOR THE SOUTH AMERICAN FRUIT FLY
By Alfredo Flores, USDA-ARS Public Affairs

One way to keep potentially damaging foreign crop pests out of the U.S. is to control them in their native habitat. Anastrepha spp. fruit flies are a serious pest in many regions of South America and its range extends northward to the US/Mexico border, penetrating into southern Texas. California, Arizona and Florida growers are especially vulnerable to these flies which cause damage to citrus, pears, peaches and apples.

A Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) between the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and ISCA Technologies, Inc. will facilitate the transfer of knowledge for a new line of attractants for the Anastrepha spp. fruit flies; and the joint development of a promising new pest control technology. ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency.

Entomologist Dr David C. Robacker of the ARS Crop Quality and Fruit Insects Research Unit in Weslaco, Texas, previously collaborated with industry researchers to develop an effective synthetic fruit fly lure. When tested on sticky bottle traps, these newly developed lures proved 20 times more effective in capturing South American fruit flies (Anastrepha fraterculus) than the standard McPhail traps baited with ammonium phosphate, and they remained effective for up to 16 weeks.

Dr Reginald Coler (Vice President of ISCA) says that one of ISCA’s strengths is in trap and lure dispensing technologies, and the company is constantly looking for novel attractants that target important pests in both urban and agricultural settings. ISCA will work with ARS to develop an effective and affordable lure and delivery platform for this group of fruit flies, and will field test the solutions in Brazil.

Robacker says that these lures show great promise as a tool for detecting and monitoring Anastrepha spp. fruit flies, and could also be used as a part of a pest management strategy (mass-trapping, or attract & kill stations). Future research will determine if the lure will work in wet traps, and for other species of fruit flies in different geographical areas.

The CRADA agreement allocates a two year period for the joint development of the lure, its delivery platform and application metrics; and is subsequently expected to be commercialized by ISCA in the Americas.

SCIENTIFIC CONTACT FOR USDA ARS :
Dr David Robacker
ARS Crop Quality and Fruit Insects Research Unit
Phone :  (956) 447-6320,
Fax :      (956) 447-6345
E-mail :  drobacker@weslaco.ars.usda.gov


SCIENTIFIC CONTACT FOR ISCA TECHNOLOGIES :
Dr Reginald Coler
ISCA Technologies, Inc
Riverside, CA
Phone :  (951) 686-5008
Fax :      (815) 346-1722
E-mail :  rcoler@iscatech.com


About USDA Agricultural Research Service

The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's main in-house scientific research agency. ARS finds solutions to agricultural problems that affect Americans every day, from field to table :
    •  Protecting crops and livestock from pests and disease,
    •  Improving the quality and safety of agricultural products,
    •  Determining the best nutrition for people from infancy to old age,
    •  Sustaining our soil and other natural resources,
    •  Ensuring profitability for farmers and processors,
    •  Keeping costs down for consumers, and
    •  Providing research support to other federal agencies.

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