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.

Category : SPLAT

Abstract

Specialized Pheromone and Lure Application Technology (SPLAT) methyl eugenol (ME) and cue-lure (C-L) “attract-and-kill” sprayable formulations containing spinosad were com- pared with other formulations under Hawaiian weather conditions against oriental fruit ßy, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), and melon ßy, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae), respec- tively. 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 perfor- mance 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 1Ð6. 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 weath- ered), 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 21Ð28 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 insec- ticide formulations used for areawide suppression of B. dorsalis and B. cucurbitae in Hawaii.