Efficiency of Etofenprox and Acetamiprid on Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera:Tephritidae) in Mango Orchard

Abstract

Tephritidae fruit flies are considered key pests in mango crop, leading to economic damages, requiring control actions and imposing quarantine constraints to the international fresh fruits trade. In the present study it was evaluated the efficiency of etofenprox and acetamiprid in three dosages for controlling medfly (Ceratitis capitata) in mango orchard. The assay was carried out in a commercial orchard of Tommy Atkins cultivar, located in Petrolina in the state of Pernambuco, as soon as the harvest had finished. The insecticides and respective doses evaluated were: acetamiprid 4, 6 e 8 g a.i./100L; etofenprox 6, 12 e 18 g a.i./100L; fenthion 50 g a.i./100L. The products were sprayed only once, baited with water and sugar cane molasses as food lure. The efficiency was evaluated scoring the number of males medfly caught in Jackson traps and calculating the efficiency % by Abbott’s equation. The traps were exposed for 24 hs on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 10th and 15th day after spraying. Acetamiprid 6 g a.i./100L 8 g a.i./100L; etofenprox 12 g a.i./100L, 18g a.i./100L and fenthion 50 g a.i./100L presented efficiency higher than 85%. Among them, acetamiprid 6 g a.i./100L performed the greatest value (95.69%) and higher stability along the time. Thus, the acetamiprid can be applied, baited with a food lure, for controlling medfly in mango orchards after achievement the suitable register in Brazil.