Preventative releases of self-limiting Ceratitis capitata provide pest suppression and protect fruit quality in outdoor netted cages

AbstractThe Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata, (Medfly) is considered a key pest of citrus fruit in many countries. Integrated pest management (IPM) approaches are frequently highly dependent on the use of insecticides. Oxitec’s self-limiting (prevents the insects’ offspring from surviving to adulthood) Medfly technology (OX3864A) offers an approach to manage Medfly outbreaks and may offer improved sustainability and economics for area-wide programmes. Netted cages were used to evaluate OX3864A deployed for the first time outdoors as a preventative treatment to suppress wild Medfly. Comparative assessments examined sexual competitiveness, the relative performance of OX3864A releases at both adult and pupal life-stages, and the ability of OX3864A to protect against fruit damage. OX3864A males are as competitive as wild males. Deployment of both adult and pupal life-stages of OX3864A effectively reduce Medfly abundance, resulting in elimination of the target pest populations. OX3864A deployment as...