Management of Tephritid Fruit Flies in Argentina

Abstract

The Medfy, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), and the South AmericanFruit Fly, Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann), are the only economically important tephritid fruit fy species found in Argentina. Both species harshly affect production, marketing, and export of fruit and vegetable owing to their damageincidence and economic losses and their quarantine restrictions. The exotic speciesC. capitata is distributed throughout Argentina, while the native A. fraterculus isrestricted to Northern Region. Since 1994 in Argentina, the National Agri-Food andAnimal Health and Quality Service (SENASA) has implemented the National FruitFly Control and Eradication Program (PROCEM). The frst fruit fy control strategyapplied through PROCEM has been based on the integrated use of the sterile insecttechnique (SIT), cultural and air/ground chemical controls, and a quarantine system. Nowadays in the Patagonia and Cuyo regions, fruit fy area-wide integratedmanagement led to the establishment of Medfy free areas and reduction of postharvest treatments. Augmentative biological control in central-western Argentina was currently added into biorational strategies of PROCEM-San Juan as a complementary tool in environmentally friendly way. This chapter reviews the current threatstatus of fruit fy pests in Argentina by reporting on the progress in their management and emphasizing control strategies that should be deepened.