The Experts below are selected from a list of 360 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Alfred M. Handler - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Pro-apoptotic gene regulation and its activation by gamma-irradiation in the Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa
Apoptosis, 2015Co-Authors: Xavier Nirmala, Marc F Schetelig, Grazyna J. Zimowska, Lei Zhou, Alfred M. HandlerAbstract:Transcriptional activation of pro-apoptotic genes in response to cytotoxic stimuli is a conserved feature of the cell death pathway in metazoans. However, understanding the extent of this conservation in insects has been limited by the lack of known pro-apoptotic genes in non-drosophilids. Recently, we described the pro-apoptotic genes, Asrpr and Ashid , from the tephritid, Anastrepha suspensa , that now allow us to explore the conservation of pro-apoptotic gene regulation between a tephritid and drosophilids. In this study, we determined the developmental profiles of Asrpr and Ashid transcripts during embryogenesis and in embryos exposed to γ-irradiation. Transcript levels of both genes determined by qRT-PCR were low throughout embryogenesis, with strong Ashid expression occurring during early to mid-embryogenesis and Asrpr expression peaking in late embryogenesis. This correlated to acridine orange stained apoptotic cells first appearing at 17 h and increasing over time. However, when irradiated at 16 h post-oviposition embryos exhibited significant levels of apoptosis consistent with strong induction of Asrpr and Ashid transcript levels by γ-irradiation in young embryos
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an est database of the caribbean fruit fly Anastrepha suspensa diptera tephritidae
Gene, 2013Co-Authors: Xavier Nirmala, Marc F Schetelig, Alfred M. HandlerAbstract:Invasive tephritid fruit flies are a great threat to agriculture worldwide and warrant serious pest control measures. Molecular strategies that promote embryonic lethality in these agricultural pests are limited by the small amount of nucleotide sequence data available for tephritids. To increase the dataset for sequence mining, we generated an EST database by 454 sequencing of the caribfly, Anastrepha suspensa, a model tephritid pest. This database yielded 95,803 assembled sequences with 24% identified as independent transcripts. The percentage of caribfly sequences with hits to the closely related tephritid, Rhagoletis pomonella, transcriptome was higher (28%) than to Drosophila proteins/genes (18%) in NCBI. The database contained genes specifically expressed in embryos, genes involved in the cell death, sex-determination, and RNAi pathways, and transposable elements and microsatellites. This study significantly expands the nucleotide data available for caribflies and will be a valuable resource for gene isolation and genomic studies in tephritid insects.
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a functional comparison of the 3xp3 promoter by recombinase mediated cassette exchange in drosophila and a tephritid fly Anastrepha suspensa
G3: Genes Genomes Genetics, 2013Co-Authors: Marc F Schetelig, Alfred M. HandlerAbstract:Transposable elements are widely used as vectors for integrating transgenes into the genome of insects. However, the random nature of transposon vector integrations often results in mutations and makes transgene expression subject to variable genomic position effects. This makes reliable quantitative comparisons of different transgenes difficult and development of highly fit transgenic strains laborious. Tools for site-specific transgene targeting are essential for functional genomic comparisons and to develop the most advanced transgenic insect strains for applied use. Here we describe a recombinase-mediated cassette exchange gene targeting system based on Cre/loxP that is highly efficient in Drosophila, and for the first time in a non-drosophilid, the tephritid fly, Anastrepha suspensa. This system allowed a comparison of the Drosophila constitutive polyubiquitin promoter and the artificial 3xP3 tissue-specific promoter in the same genomic context within each species, showing that the widely used 3xP3 promoter is apparently nonfunctional in the tephritid fly.
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y linked markers for improved population control of the tephritid fruit fly pest Anastrepha suspensa
Advances in Biochemical Engineering \ Biotechnology, 2013Co-Authors: Marc F Schetelig, Alfred M. HandlerAbstract:Insect pest control programs incorporating the sterile insect technique (SIT) rely on the mass production and release of sterilized insects to reduce the wild-type population through infertile matings. Most effective programs release only males to avoid any crop damage caused by female fruit flies or transmission of disease by female mosquitoes. Therefore, the females have to be eliminated, preferably in an early developmental stage, during mass rearing. Different systems and techniques have been created for the sex separation of a few insect species. One of these is the transgenic sex-specific fluorescent protein marking of the insects with automated fluorescent-based sorting of the individuals to achieve sex separation. Here we describe the Y-linked integration of fluorescent markers driven by the widely active Drosophila melanogaster polyubiquitin promoter in the Caribfly, Anastrepha suspensa. Four strains with Y-linked integrations were established with one line expressing the DsRed fluorescent protein marker during embryogenesis. This line now has the possibility for use with automated sex separation in rearing, and the same transgene markers could be used in other insects for similar applications. Open image in new window Graphical Abstract
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a transgenic embryonic sexing system for Anastrepha suspensa diptera tephritidae
Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 2012Co-Authors: Marc F Schetelig, Alfred M. HandlerAbstract:The Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is a highly successful biologically-based strategy to control pest insect populations that relies on the large-scale release of sterilized males to render females in the field nonreproductive. For medfly, a mutant-based sexing system is available as well as a transgenic system where a tetracycline-suppressible (Tet-off) toxic molecule is female-specifically produced. However, the former classical genetic system took many years to refine, and the latter system results in female death by a poorly understood mechanism, primarily in the pupal stage after rearing costs have been incurred. Here we describe a Tet-off transgenic embryonic sexing system (TESS) for Anastrepha suspensa that uses a driver construct having the promoter from the embryo-specific A. suspensa serendipity a gene, linked to the Tet-transactivator. This was used to drive the expression of a phospho-mutated variant of the proapoptotic cell death gene, Alhid, from Anastrepha ludens. The system uses a sex-specific intron splicing cassette linked to a cell death gene lethal effector. Progeny from TESS strains heterozygous for the transgene combination were 80e100% males, whereas four double homozygous TESS strains had 100% male-only progeny, with female death limited primarily to embryogenesis. In a large-scale test, more than 30,000 eggs from two strains resulted in 100% male-only progeny. The transgenic sexing approach described here is highly effective and cost-efficient by eliminating most, if not all, female insects early in embryogenesis using a well-characterized apoptotic mechanism. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Peter E A Teal - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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influence of methoprene and dietary protein on male Anastrepha suspensa diptera tephritidae lipid and protein content
Florida Entomologist, 2011Co-Authors: Rui Pereira, John Sivinski, Jeffrey P Shapiro, Peter E A TealAbstract:ABSTRACT Because both the application of a juvenile hormone analog, methoprene, and the addition of protein to the adult diet increased the sexual success of male Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae), it was hypothesized that both might also impact male nutritional status. Total content of lipid and of protein in A. suspensa males were measured to discover if there was an effect of these treatments alone or in combination on the content of each of these subtstances. In the first 24 hours following adult emergence, 6 different treatments were applied (all possible combinations of methoprene in acetone solution or acetone alone, and protein-diet enrichment). Adult weight was determined for all treatments at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 d post-emergence. Dietary protein had a positive effect on the weight and total lipid and protein contents during the first 35 d of adult male life. There were minimal negative impacts from methoprene applications. Even though males were more...
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enhancing male sexual success in a lekking fly Anastrepha suspensa diptera tephritidae through a juvenile hormone analog has no effect on adult mortality
Journal of Insect Physiology, 2010Co-Authors: Rui Pereira, Peter E A Teal, John Sivinski, Jane BrockmannAbstract:While defending lek-territories, male Anastrepha suspensa (Loew) produce chemical, acoustic and visual courtship signals. In the laboratory and under semi-natural conditions, topical application of the juvenile hormone analog methoprene doubles pheromone production and subsequently doubles sexual success. However, sexual signals and interactions are likely to be physiologically expensive and so result in higher male mortality. Comparison of males kept in isolation for 35 days, but provided daily with a potential mate or a rival male, revealed that both male- and female-interactors shortened focal-male lifespan. In addition, focal males were either treated with methoprene or not, then either provided with protein in their sucrose-based diet or not. Protein proved to similarly double sexual success and also resulted in longer male life spans in all of the interactor-categories. However, there was no evidence that methoprene induced hypersexuality resulted in higher rates of mortality, i.e., the longevity of males treated with methoprene did not significantly differ from untreated males in the same interactor/diet categories. This apparent lack of costs to a putatively sexually selected signal is unexpected but presents an opportunity to increase the sexual competence of sterile flies with few consequences to their survival following mass-release.
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influence of a juvenile hormone analog and dietary protein on male Anastrepha suspensa diptera tephritidae sexual success
Journal of Economic Entomology, 2010Co-Authors: Rui Pereira, John Sivinski, Peter E A TealAbstract:ABSTRACT Juvenile hormone levels and adult diet have important effects on the attractiveness and competitiveness of male Anastrepha suspensa (Loew) (Caribbean fruit fly). Because the success of the sterile insect technique requires the release of males that can compete in the wild, these effects are of crucial importance. Laboratory and field cage experiments were conducted to compare male sexual performance on a lifetime basis and daily basis when submitted to four different treatments: (M+P-) application of the juvenile hormone analog, methoprene (M) and sugar and hydrolyzed yeast as adult food; (M+P-) application of M and sugar as adult food; (M-P+) no application of M and sugar and hydrolyzed yeast as adult food; and (M-P-) no application of M and sugar as adult food. On a daily basis, M+P+ males always performed better sexually, and 10% of these individuals were able to mate three consecutive times in the same day. However, the copula duration decreased with the increased number of matings on same da...
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influence of methoprene and dietary protein on male Anastrepha suspensa diptera tephritidae mating aggregations
Journal of Insect Physiology, 2009Co-Authors: Rui Pereira, John Sivinski, Peter E A TealAbstract:Abstract The Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa (Loew), like many polyphagous tephritids, exhibits a lek polygyny mating system, and juvenile hormone levels and adult diet are known to have important positive effects on male sexual success. Among the potential components of this success are male lek tenure and female response to the sexual signals of lekking males. Male A. suspensa where submitted to four different treatments: (M+P+) application of juvenile hormone analog, methoprene (M) and sugar and hydrolyzed yeast as adult food; (M+P−) application of M and sugar as adult food; (M−P+) no application of M and sugar and hydrolyzed yeast as adult food; and (M−P−) no application of M and sugar as adult food. M+P+ males initiated and participated more in aggregations, mated more frequently, and occupied the lek centers more often. They also had fewer unsuccessful mounting attempts than males in all the other treatments. M+P+ males also emitted pheromones and acoustically signaled more often and attracted more females than males in other treatments. Male sexual performance was improved due to methoprene, protein supply, and the interaction of methoprene and protein for most of the parameters. Since the success of the sterile insect technique (SIT), a commonly employed technique to control pest tephritids, requires the release of males that can form leks, engage in agonistic sexual interactions, and attract females, these positive effects of protein and methoprene may substantially improve SIT programs.
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glucosylated suspensosides water soluble pheromone conjugates from the oral secretions of male Anastrepha suspensa
Journal of Natural Products, 2008Co-Authors: Spencer S Walse, Peter E A TealAbstract:A diastereomeric mixture of the glycosylated pheromones (6R)- (1a) and (6S)-β-d-glucopyranosyl 2-(2,6-dimethyl-6-vinylcyclohex-1-enyl)acetate (1b), which we named respectively suspensoside A and suspensoside B, was isolated from the oral secretions of male Caribbean fruit flies, Anastrepha suspensa. The absolute stereochemical configurations were established using microsample NMR instrumentation, chiral gas chromatography, and chemical synthesis utilizing pure enantiomers of anastrephin, (3aS,4R,7aS)- (4a) or (3aR,4S,7aR)-4,7a-dimethyl-4-vinylhexahydrobenzofuran-2(3H)one (4b), as the aglycon precursor.
Nancy D Epsky - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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electroantennogram response and attraction of Anastrepha suspensa to volatiles of various sugar sources and aged sugar solutions
Entomologia Experimentalis Et Applicata, 2016Co-Authors: Larissa Guillen, Paul E Kendra, Wayne S Montgomery, Nancy D Epsky, M Gill, C Allen, Jerome Niogret, Robert R HeathAbstract:With the aim of finding new, sugar‐based volatile attractants for economically important tephritid fruit fly species, we used electroantennography (EAG) to quantitate olfactory responses of female Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae), to volatiles of six sugar sources (refined white and brown cane sugar, coconut sugar, date sugar, date jaggery, and cane panela). Laboratory‐strain and wild flies, both sexually immature and mature, were tested for EAG responses to the volatiles of dry crystallized sugar sources and 10% (wt/vol) aqueous solutions that had aged in the laboratory for 0–7 days. In general, wild flies exhibited higher EAG responses than laboratory flies, and immature females responded more strongly than mature females. With the exception of date jaggery and cane panela, volatiles of dry sugar sources and 0‐ and 1‐day‐old solutions elicited lower EAG responses than any of the aged solutions. Most solution volatiles elicited the strongest EAG response after 2 days of aging. Of the treatments evaluated, volatiles of the 5‐day‐old date jaggery solution elicited the highest‐amplitude EAG responses (39%) in A. suspensa females. On the basis of the latter, we tested the attraction response of mature and immature females to date‐jaggery solutions aged over 2 and 4 days in two‐choice flight tunnel bioassays. With both mature and immature females, the 2‐day‐old solution was more attractive than the 4‐day‐old jaggery solution, but significantly more mature females (70% of captures) were attracted to 2‐day‐old jaggery solution. We discuss our results with respect to the improvement of fruit fly lures and attractants by incorporating elements from aged date‐jaggery sugar.
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Grape Juice as a Bait for Anastrepha suspensa (Diptera: Tephritidae) and Zaprionus indianus (Diptera: Drosophilidae).
Journal of economic entomology, 2015Co-Authors: Nancy D Epsky, Micah A. Gill, Robert L. ManganAbstract:In field tests conducted in south Florida to test grape juice as a bait for the Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa Loew, high numbers of Zaprionus indianus Gupta were captured in traps with aqueous grape juice. These experiments included comparisons of grape juice bait with established A. suspensa protein-based baits (ammonium acetate + putrescine lures, or torula yeast) or wine, a bait found previously to be attractive to Z. indianus. Effects of different preservatives (polypropylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, proxel, or sodium tetraborate) and bait age were also tested. Traps with grape juice baits captured more A. suspensa than unbaited traps, but more were captured in traps with grape juice plus preservative baits and the highest numbers were captured in traps containing the established protein-based baits. In contrast, grape juice baits without preservative that were prepared on the day of deployment (0 d) or that were aged for 3-4 d in the laboratory captured the highest numbers of Z. indianus, while solutions that were aged in the laboratory for 6 or 9 d captured fewer. Although these studies found that aqueous grape juice is a poor bait for A. suspensa, we found that actively fermenting aqueous grape juice may be an effective bait for Z. indianus.
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capture of Anastrepha suspensa and sterile male ceratitis capitata diptera tephritidae in multilure traps versus phase 4 traps
Florida Entomologist, 2013Co-Authors: Nancy D Epsky, David Dean, Abbie J Fox, Paul E KendraAbstract:Field trials were conducted in south Florida to compare capture of wild Caribbean fruit flies, Anastrepha suspensa (Loew), and sterile male Mediterranean fruit flies, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), in Multilure traps, which are McPhail-type traps that use an aqueous solution to retain attracted flies, and Phase 4 traps, which are open-bottom dry traps that use a sticky insert to retain attracted flies. One study was conducted in a guava orchard and compared capture of A. suspensa in both trap types baited with ammonium acetate plus putrescine alone (two-component BioLure) or in combination with trimethylamine (three-component BioLure). A second study compared captures of A. suspensa and sterile male C. capitata in traps baited with three-component BioLure in an urban area near the end of the eradication program for a C. capitata outbreak. In both studies, captures were higher in the Multilure traps than the Phase 4 traps baited with the same lure, with catches ranging from 5:1 for sterile C. capitata, and ∼10:1 to ∼100:1 for wild A. suspensa. Large scale area-wide deployment of fruit fly detection traps is costly in both materials and in the time and effort required in routine servicing. Although a simpler and cheaper trap such as the Phase 4 trap would be a welcome relief to any large scale area-wide detection programs, it must perform effectively. This is the first report of tests of fruit fly capture in Phase 4 traps conducted under of south Florida conditions.
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comparison of synthetic food based lures and liquid protein baits for capture of Anastrepha suspensa diptera tephritidae adults
Florida Entomologist, 2011Co-Authors: Nancy D Epsky, Paul E Kendra, Jorge E Pena, Robert R HeathAbstract:ABSTRACT Field tests were conducted in south Florida to compare capture of the Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa (Loew), in Multilure traps baited with either of the liquid protein baits torula yeast/borax or Nulure/borax, or with food-based synthetic lures including two-component Biolure (ammonium acetate, putrescine) and three-component Biolure (ammonium acetate, putrescine, trimethylamine). The highest relative proportion of females captured was in traps baited with the two-component Biolure (44–61%), intermediate capture was in traps baited with the three-component Biolure (14–24%) or torula yeast/borax (8–25%), and the lowest capture tended to be in traps baited with Nulure/borax (0–19%). Similar results were obtained for capture of males. Tests of the unipak two-component Biolure, which has a reduced ammonium acetate release rate and is a single package with both ammonium acetate and putrescine sections, captured similar numbers of both females and males as Biolure formulated in 2 individual ...
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effective sampling range of food based attractants for female Anastrepha suspensa diptera tephritidae
Journal of Economic Entomology, 2010Co-Authors: Paul E Kendra, Nancy D Epsky, Robert R HeathAbstract:ABSTRACT Release—recapture studies were conducted with both feral and sterile females of the Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae), to determine sampling range for a liquid protein bait (torula yeast/borax) and for a two-component synthetic lure (ammonium acetate and putrescine). Tests were done in a guava, Psidium guajava L., grove and involved releasing flies at a central point and recording the numbers captured after 7 h and 1, 2, 3, and 6 d in an array of 25 Multilure traps located 9–46 m from the release point, In all tests, highest rate of recapture occurred within the first day of release, so estimations of sampling range were based on a 24-h period. Trap distances were grouped into four categories ( 30 m from release point) and relative trapping efficiency (percentage of capture) was determined for each distance group. Effective sampling range was defined as the maximum distance at which relative trapping efficiency was ≥25%. This corresponde...
Robert R Heath - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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electroantennogram response and attraction of Anastrepha suspensa to volatiles of various sugar sources and aged sugar solutions
Entomologia Experimentalis Et Applicata, 2016Co-Authors: Larissa Guillen, Paul E Kendra, Wayne S Montgomery, Nancy D Epsky, M Gill, C Allen, Jerome Niogret, Robert R HeathAbstract:With the aim of finding new, sugar‐based volatile attractants for economically important tephritid fruit fly species, we used electroantennography (EAG) to quantitate olfactory responses of female Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae), to volatiles of six sugar sources (refined white and brown cane sugar, coconut sugar, date sugar, date jaggery, and cane panela). Laboratory‐strain and wild flies, both sexually immature and mature, were tested for EAG responses to the volatiles of dry crystallized sugar sources and 10% (wt/vol) aqueous solutions that had aged in the laboratory for 0–7 days. In general, wild flies exhibited higher EAG responses than laboratory flies, and immature females responded more strongly than mature females. With the exception of date jaggery and cane panela, volatiles of dry sugar sources and 0‐ and 1‐day‐old solutions elicited lower EAG responses than any of the aged solutions. Most solution volatiles elicited the strongest EAG response after 2 days of aging. Of the treatments evaluated, volatiles of the 5‐day‐old date jaggery solution elicited the highest‐amplitude EAG responses (39%) in A. suspensa females. On the basis of the latter, we tested the attraction response of mature and immature females to date‐jaggery solutions aged over 2 and 4 days in two‐choice flight tunnel bioassays. With both mature and immature females, the 2‐day‐old solution was more attractive than the 4‐day‐old jaggery solution, but significantly more mature females (70% of captures) were attracted to 2‐day‐old jaggery solution. We discuss our results with respect to the improvement of fruit fly lures and attractants by incorporating elements from aged date‐jaggery sugar.
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comparison of synthetic food based lures and liquid protein baits for capture of Anastrepha suspensa diptera tephritidae adults
Florida Entomologist, 2011Co-Authors: Nancy D Epsky, Paul E Kendra, Jorge E Pena, Robert R HeathAbstract:ABSTRACT Field tests were conducted in south Florida to compare capture of the Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa (Loew), in Multilure traps baited with either of the liquid protein baits torula yeast/borax or Nulure/borax, or with food-based synthetic lures including two-component Biolure (ammonium acetate, putrescine) and three-component Biolure (ammonium acetate, putrescine, trimethylamine). The highest relative proportion of females captured was in traps baited with the two-component Biolure (44–61%), intermediate capture was in traps baited with the three-component Biolure (14–24%) or torula yeast/borax (8–25%), and the lowest capture tended to be in traps baited with Nulure/borax (0–19%). Similar results were obtained for capture of males. Tests of the unipak two-component Biolure, which has a reduced ammonium acetate release rate and is a single package with both ammonium acetate and putrescine sections, captured similar numbers of both females and males as Biolure formulated in 2 individual ...
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effective sampling range of food based attractants for female Anastrepha suspensa diptera tephritidae
Journal of Economic Entomology, 2010Co-Authors: Paul E Kendra, Nancy D Epsky, Robert R HeathAbstract:ABSTRACT Release—recapture studies were conducted with both feral and sterile females of the Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae), to determine sampling range for a liquid protein bait (torula yeast/borax) and for a two-component synthetic lure (ammonium acetate and putrescine). Tests were done in a guava, Psidium guajava L., grove and involved releasing flies at a central point and recording the numbers captured after 7 h and 1, 2, 3, and 6 d in an array of 25 Multilure traps located 9–46 m from the release point, In all tests, highest rate of recapture occurred within the first day of release, so estimations of sampling range were based on a 24-h period. Trap distances were grouped into four categories ( 30 m from release point) and relative trapping efficiency (percentage of capture) was determined for each distance group. Effective sampling range was defined as the maximum distance at which relative trapping efficiency was ≥25%. This corresponde...
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electroantennogram and behavioral responses of Anastrepha suspensa diptera tephritidae to putrescine and ammonium bicarbonate lures
Environmental Entomology, 2009Co-Authors: Paul E Kendra, Wayne S Montgomery, Nancy D Epsky, Robert R HeathAbstract:At present, the most effective synthetic lures for pest Anastrepha fruit flies are multicomponent blends that include ammonia and the diamine synergist putrescine (1,4-diaminobutane). Both chemicals generally have been regarded as protein cues that result in female-biased attraction. Using electroantennography (EAG) and flight tunnel bioassays, this study evaluated response of the Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa (Loew) to vapors released from commercial lure formulations of ammonium bicarbonate and putrescine. Over a range of doses tested, EAG response to ammonium bicarbonate was equivalent for both sexes, but female response was significantly greater than male response to putrescine and to a 1:1 mixture of ammonium bicarbonate and putrescine. Amplitude of EAG response to the mixture was approximately equal to the summation of responses to the individual substrates. Using a fixed dose of substrate, EAG measurements from females 1–14 d old indicated that antennal sensitivity to both lures varied according to physiological state of the fly. Peak response to ammonium bicarbonate was recorded from immature females, peak response to putrescine from sexually mature females. In bioassays, more females were captured with ammonium bicarbonate plus putrescine than with ammonium bicarbonate alone. This difference was not observed in males, resulting in a higher female to male ratio in captures with ammonium bicarbonate plus putreseine (3:1) versus ammonium bicarbonate alone (1:1). Results suggest that separate olfactory receptors are involved in detection of the two semiochemicals, and that the putrescine component is primarily responsible for the female-biased attraction.
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laboratory and field cage studies on female targeted attract and kill bait stations for Anastrepha suspensa diptera tephritidae
Pest Management Science, 2009Co-Authors: Robert R Heath, Stephen G Lavallee, Elena Q Schnell, David Midgarden, Nancy D EpskyAbstract:BACKGROUND: Development of attract-and-kill bait stations for pest fruit flies has been limited by the water solubility of sugar needed as a feeding stimulant and by the volatility of chemical attractants. A wax-based matrix was developed that provides the longevity needed for field use and is biodegradable. RESULTS: Laboratory bioassays with the Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa (Loew), confirmed the efficacy of bait stations containing avermectin, methomyl, spinosad and phloxine B. Field cage studies demonstrated that significant mortality occurred with either 1% (w/v) spinosad or 1% (w/v) methomyl bait stations versus pesticide-free bait stations. Bait stations were exposed to environmental conditions by placing them in trees at the ARS station in Miami, Florida, between tests. There was no loss in efficacy, in spite of exposure to over 360 mm of rainfall over the 56 days of the study, indicating that the bait stations could provide population suppression for at least 1–2 months when used in subtropical environments. CONCLUSION: A long-lasting, female-targeted fruit fly bait station, such as the one developed herein, could provide a cost-effective option for fruit fly population suppression that would be an important tool in tephritid pest management and control. Additional studies are needed to demonstrate efficacy against wild fruit fly populations and determine deployment strategies. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry
Rui Pereira - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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influence of methoprene and dietary protein on male Anastrepha suspensa diptera tephritidae lipid and protein content
Florida Entomologist, 2011Co-Authors: Rui Pereira, John Sivinski, Jeffrey P Shapiro, Peter E A TealAbstract:ABSTRACT Because both the application of a juvenile hormone analog, methoprene, and the addition of protein to the adult diet increased the sexual success of male Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae), it was hypothesized that both might also impact male nutritional status. Total content of lipid and of protein in A. suspensa males were measured to discover if there was an effect of these treatments alone or in combination on the content of each of these subtstances. In the first 24 hours following adult emergence, 6 different treatments were applied (all possible combinations of methoprene in acetone solution or acetone alone, and protein-diet enrichment). Adult weight was determined for all treatments at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 d post-emergence. Dietary protein had a positive effect on the weight and total lipid and protein contents during the first 35 d of adult male life. There were minimal negative impacts from methoprene applications. Even though males were more...
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enhancing male sexual success in a lekking fly Anastrepha suspensa diptera tephritidae through a juvenile hormone analog has no effect on adult mortality
Journal of Insect Physiology, 2010Co-Authors: Rui Pereira, Peter E A Teal, John Sivinski, Jane BrockmannAbstract:While defending lek-territories, male Anastrepha suspensa (Loew) produce chemical, acoustic and visual courtship signals. In the laboratory and under semi-natural conditions, topical application of the juvenile hormone analog methoprene doubles pheromone production and subsequently doubles sexual success. However, sexual signals and interactions are likely to be physiologically expensive and so result in higher male mortality. Comparison of males kept in isolation for 35 days, but provided daily with a potential mate or a rival male, revealed that both male- and female-interactors shortened focal-male lifespan. In addition, focal males were either treated with methoprene or not, then either provided with protein in their sucrose-based diet or not. Protein proved to similarly double sexual success and also resulted in longer male life spans in all of the interactor-categories. However, there was no evidence that methoprene induced hypersexuality resulted in higher rates of mortality, i.e., the longevity of males treated with methoprene did not significantly differ from untreated males in the same interactor/diet categories. This apparent lack of costs to a putatively sexually selected signal is unexpected but presents an opportunity to increase the sexual competence of sterile flies with few consequences to their survival following mass-release.
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influence of a juvenile hormone analog and dietary protein on male Anastrepha suspensa diptera tephritidae sexual success
Journal of Economic Entomology, 2010Co-Authors: Rui Pereira, John Sivinski, Peter E A TealAbstract:ABSTRACT Juvenile hormone levels and adult diet have important effects on the attractiveness and competitiveness of male Anastrepha suspensa (Loew) (Caribbean fruit fly). Because the success of the sterile insect technique requires the release of males that can compete in the wild, these effects are of crucial importance. Laboratory and field cage experiments were conducted to compare male sexual performance on a lifetime basis and daily basis when submitted to four different treatments: (M+P-) application of the juvenile hormone analog, methoprene (M) and sugar and hydrolyzed yeast as adult food; (M+P-) application of M and sugar as adult food; (M-P+) no application of M and sugar and hydrolyzed yeast as adult food; and (M-P-) no application of M and sugar as adult food. On a daily basis, M+P+ males always performed better sexually, and 10% of these individuals were able to mate three consecutive times in the same day. However, the copula duration decreased with the increased number of matings on same da...
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influence of methoprene and dietary protein on male Anastrepha suspensa diptera tephritidae mating aggregations
Journal of Insect Physiology, 2009Co-Authors: Rui Pereira, John Sivinski, Peter E A TealAbstract:Abstract The Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa (Loew), like many polyphagous tephritids, exhibits a lek polygyny mating system, and juvenile hormone levels and adult diet are known to have important positive effects on male sexual success. Among the potential components of this success are male lek tenure and female response to the sexual signals of lekking males. Male A. suspensa where submitted to four different treatments: (M+P+) application of juvenile hormone analog, methoprene (M) and sugar and hydrolyzed yeast as adult food; (M+P−) application of M and sugar as adult food; (M−P+) no application of M and sugar and hydrolyzed yeast as adult food; and (M−P−) no application of M and sugar as adult food. M+P+ males initiated and participated more in aggregations, mated more frequently, and occupied the lek centers more often. They also had fewer unsuccessful mounting attempts than males in all the other treatments. M+P+ males also emitted pheromones and acoustically signaled more often and attracted more females than males in other treatments. Male sexual performance was improved due to methoprene, protein supply, and the interaction of methoprene and protein for most of the parameters. Since the success of the sterile insect technique (SIT), a commonly employed technique to control pest tephritids, requires the release of males that can form leks, engage in agonistic sexual interactions, and attract females, these positive effects of protein and methoprene may substantially improve SIT programs.
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the thermal environment of immature caribbean fruit flies Anastrepha suspensa diptera tephritidae
Florida Entomologist, 2007Co-Authors: John Sivinski, Tim Holler, Rui Pereira, Maritza RomeroAbstract:Abstract Because many plants regulate their internal temperatures, there is no a priori reason to believe air temperature accurately reflects the temperatures faced by tephritid larvae inhabiting fruit interiors. Larvae also move across and burrow into soil to pupate, and immature flies at this point are also likely to encounter temperatures that might be less than or exceed air temperature. Using thermocouples and a computerized data logger we measured a range of temperatures in the 4 major hosts of Anastrepha suspensa (Loew), the Caribbean fruit fly: Surinam cherry, Eugenia uniflora L., Cattley guava, Psidium cattleianum Sabine, guava, Psidium guajava L., and loquat, Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.), and in grapefruit, Citrus paradisi Macf., an economically important secondary host. Generally, temperatures were higher in the southwestern portions of tree canopies relative to those in the northeastern interiors. Fruit on the ground was warmer than in the tree, but there was no significant pattern of maximum ...