Strategie di lotta per il contenimento di Ceratitis capitata (Wied.) in agrumicoltura

Based on a 25-year research on population dynamics of Ceratitis capitata (Wied.) and natural unripe Citrus fruit resistance against this pest, new pest management strategies adequate to modern citrus growing are here presented. Infestation reduction should be based on adult population control, in order to reduce pesticide residues in the fruit, save the natural equilibrium of the citrus agroecosystem and produce fruit without oviposition holes, thus more suitable for cold storage. Adult insect control should start as soon as the first insects are captured by traps activated with Trimedlure. Either protein bait spray or attract and kill traps made of different materials (wood, cardboard, tissue, etc.) should be used. Bait sprays should be distributed, with a high-volume pump, on the south-west portion of the canopy of the cultivated plants or, even better, of the windbreak. Treatment should be applied to either entire citrus growing areas or small and isolated citrus groves, every 20-30 days and after every high rainfall also. Adult traps should be treated with contact insecticide and baited with food attractants. About 100-150 traps/ha, to be changed every 10 weeks, are recommended. A Kaolin-based product that avoids fruit oviposition has received some attention recently. Larval control methods should be used as a last possibility only when almost mature fruit show the first larvae in feeding activity. The products used to poison the baits and to kill the larvae should be allowed by the disciplinary of the CE 2078/92 Regulation, respecting also the limitations imposed by the most recent legislative decisions. Although the sterile-male technique has been successfully used in various citrus areas, it has not been widely adopted because of many technical, economical and organisational problems related to its application.