Adult diet and exposure to semiochemicals influence male mating success in Ceratitis rosa (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Abstract

The Natal fruit fly, Ceratitis rosa (Diptera: Tephritidae), is a major pest of fruit crops in Reunion island. The sterile insect technique (SIT), which has frequently been used against some fruit fly species, could also contribute to the control of this pest. However, mass‐rearing procedures and irradiation can strongly reduce the mating competitiveness of males. In this study, we investigated the influence of two essential oils [ginger root oil (GRO) and orange oil (OO)] on the males of C. rosa, in terms of attractiveness and effect on mating success. The influence of adult food regime on mating success of the males was also studied. During tests in choice situation between the two oils, mature males were more attracted to GRO compared with OO. This was not the case when males had not reached their sexual maturity, which indicates that this attractiveness is age‐dependent. The addition of proteins to the adult diet increased the mating competitiveness of the males, compared with males fed with sugar only. Males fed with a ‘full’ diet (sugar and hydrolysed yeast) accounted for 85% of all matings compared with 15% for those fed with a sugar‐only diet. Results were similar for wild males and for males from a laboratory‐reared colony. Exposure of the males to both types of oils significantly increased the mating competitiveness of sugar‐fed males, while only the exposure to GRO was able to increase that of males previously fed with a ‘full’ diet. This study provides promising results for the improvement of male competitiveness in the perspective of SIT programmes against C. rosa in the future.

Efficacy of essential oils to control the Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

“…A C C E P T E D M A N U S C R I P T and Teketay, 2003;Quilici et al, 2013;Tak et al, 2015), thus reducing fecundity. Residues of the EO adsorbed to P. interpunctella can modify the locomotor pattern of males and females reducing mating or/and affect the positive anemotactic response of P.…”

Field evaluation of the relative attractiveness of enriched ginger root oil (EGO)lure and trimedlure for African Ceratitis species (Diptera: Tephritidae)

“…It also increases the competitiveness of male Natal fruit flies, Ceratitis rosa (Quilici et al. ). Some commercial sources of ginger root oil are called ‘enriched ginger oil’ (EGO), referring to oil for which the concentration of alpha‐copaene has been increased (Shelly and Pahio ).…”

“…Recently, it proved to be a male enhancing component because exposure to its aroma increases the mating success of sterile male medflies (Shelly 2001;Shelly et al 2004) and is now applied as aromatherapy to increase the competitiveness of sterile males in SIT (Shelly et al 2007;Steiner et al 2011). It also increases the competitiveness of male Natal fruit flies, Ceratitis rosa (Quilici et al 2011). Some commercial sources of ginger root oil are called 'enriched ginger oil' (EGO), referring to oil for which the concentration of alpha-copaene has been increased (Shelly and Pahio 2002).…”

Improving sterile male performance in support of programmes integrating the sterile insect technique against fruit flies

“…The research was carried out under the CRP built on the aforementioned studies to understand Yuval et al 2007;Faria et al 2008;Weldon et al 2008;Pereira et al 2009Pereira et al , 2010aPereira et al ,b, 2013Haq et al 2010aHaq et al ,b, 2013Quilici et al 2013;Liedo et al 2013) Addition of protein to the pre-release diet significantly improved male weight and body protein content for A.…”