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

Abstract

Specialized Pheromone and Lure Application Technology (SPLAT) methyl eugenol (ME) and cue-lure (C-L) "attract-and-kill" sprayable formulations containing spinosad were compared with other formulations under Hawaiian weather conditions against oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), and melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae), respectively. 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 performance 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 1-6. 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 weathered), 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 21-28 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 insecticide formulations used for areawide suppression of B. dorsalis and B. cucurbitae in Hawaii.

Response of Melon Fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) to Weathered SPLAT-Spinosad-Cue-Lure

“…Weathering of the new sprayable SPLAT-MAT ME and C-L lure and kill formulations with the reduced risk insecticide spinosad was also evaluated in Hawaii (Vargas et al 2008b) and California (Vargas et al 2010b). Research has focused on SPLAT ME and C-L as replacement for Min-UGel ME and C-L, both using the toxic naled insecticide (Vargas et al 2008b(Vargas et al , 2010b.…”

“…Research has focused on SPLAT ME and C-L as replacement for Min-UGel ME and C-L, both using the toxic naled insecticide (Vargas et al 2008b(Vargas et al , 2010b. In trials conducted in California, chemical analyses of the weathered SPLAT formulation suggested a more rapid loss of ME than C-L from different dispensers (R. I.…”

“…The Bactro-MAT C-L fipronil stations and a sprayable SPLAT-MAT ME formulation were licensed for use in Hawaii (Vargas et al 2005, 2008b, Mau et al 2007, and work is continuing on the development of a SPLAT C-L product. The improvements were also driven by the reluctance on the part of workers to mix lures with restricted insecticides in monitoring traps.…”

“…The AWPM program successfully integrated environmentally friendly integrated pest management (IPM) technologies into a comprehensive fruit fly management package that has proven to be economically viable, environmentally compatible, and sustainable (Vargas et al 2008a) with an important level of grower adoption (Mau et al 2007). Some novel IPM technologies include applications of GF-120 NF Naturalyte protein bait as foliar sprays (Prokopy et al 2003 or in bait stations , and the use of SPLAT (Specialized Pheromone and Lure Application Technology) Male Annihilation Treatment (MAT) containing either ME or C-L (Vargas et al 2008b(Vargas et al , 2010b. Both GF-120 and SPLAT MAT-ME contain the reduced risk insecticide, spinosad, and were researched, developed and registered in Hawaii for areawide suppression of fruit flies (Mau et al 2007, Vargas et al 2008a).…”

Attraction and mortality of oriental fruit flies to SPLAT‐MAT‐methyl eugenol with spinosad†

“…Of particular interest are sprayable formulations with reduced-risk insecticides such as spinosad (Vargas et al, 2008a). Recently, Vargas et al (2008b) formulated and tested sprayable 'attract and kill' dispensers containing the specialized pheromone and lure application technology (SPLAT TM ), spinosad, and ME or C-L against B. dorsalis and Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett), respectively. The SPLAT-MAT-ME and SPLAT-MAT-C-L spinosad formulations show promise as substitutes for current liquid organophosphate insecticide formulations used for area-wide suppression of B. dorsalis and B. cucurbitae in Hawaii.…”