NUTRITIONAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL STUDIES ON MEDITERRANEAN FRUIT FLY Ceratitis capitata (Wied.)

Abstract

Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata (weid.), is considered as the most important pest in the fruit producing industry as it can attack more than 200 species of fruits and vegetables. Including those of commercial significance {Tejada, 1980 and Weems, 1981).

This fly has become established in all continents due to its extraordinary adaptability and high reproductive rate. Countries which are invaded by the Medfly lose their export markets in those countries still free of this pest. Knipling (1955 and 1959) elucidated the theoretical and applied

concepts of the Sterile Insect release Technique {SIT) for population management of economically important insect pests. Not all pests are amenable to the SIT (Knipling, 1955). Some criteria that should be met before considering the SIT approach and considered in this study as postulated by Knipling .

Practical procedures must be developed for rearing sufficient insects to overflood the wild population. Numbers are not the only consideration as the overall quality of the insects is extremely important.