An 18-day, 3 °C cold treatment effectively kills Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) in kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.)

J Econ Entomol. 2024 Apr 12;117(2):480-493. doi: 10.1093/jee/toad242.

Abstract

A series of experiments were carried out to develop a phytosanitary disinfestation protocol to kill Ceratitis capitata (Weidemann) (Mediterranean fruit fly, Diptera: Tephritidae) in 'Hayward' kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa (A. Chev.) C.F. Liang and A.R. Ferguson) and 'Zesy002' kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis Planch.). Experiments on 4 immature life stages (eggs and 3 larval instars) with treatment durations of between 5 and 18 days showed that third instars were the most tolerant to temperatures around 3 °C, with the lethal time to 99.9968% (probit 9) mortality (LT99.9968) estimated to be 17.3 days (95% confidence interval (CI) 16.4-18.2). Larvae reared and treated in 'Zesy002' were significantly more susceptible to cold treatment than those reared in 'Hayward'. A large-scale trial testing a disinfestation protocol of 3 ± 0.5 °C for 18 days treated over 500,000 third-instar C. capitata with no survivors. These results demonstrate that a cold treatment of 3.5 °C or below for 18 days induces C. capitata mortality in kiwifruit at a rate that exceeds 99.9968% with a degree of confidence greater than 99%.

He momo ngaro nō Awherika te Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacinae). Engari, kua hōrapa whānui tēnei momo ki Ūropi, Amerika ki te Tonga, Hawai’i me tae atu hoki ki Ahitereiria ki te Hauāuru. Kai ai āna pūhouhou i te maha o ngā hua, tae ana ki te huakiwi (Actinidia deliciosa (A. Chev.) C.F. Liang me A.R. Ferguson me Actinidia chinensis Planch.). Kāore te C. capitata e noho ki Aotearoa, engari kua rokohanga tēnei momo ki konei i mua. Ki te urutomo te momo nei ki Aotearoa, ka pākino rawatia te ahumāra o Aotearoa. Otiia, mate ai āna pūhouhou i te makariri. Kua whakamahi mātou i ētahi whakamātautau ki te rēkoata raraunga-ā-mate mō ngā pūhouhou ō C. capitata i roto i te huakiwi. Ki te whakamahi tatou i te pārongo nei, ka whakahekengia te whakaaweawe o C. capitata ki te mea ka tae mai te momo nei ki Aotearoa.

Keywords: disinfestation; phytosanitary; post-harvest; quarantine treatment.

MeSH terms

  • Actinidia*
  • Animals
  • Ceratitis capitata*
  • Cold Temperature
  • Insect Control / methods
  • Larva
  • Tephritidae*

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