HOST STATUS OF MAMEY SAPOTE TO CARIBBEAN FRUIT FLY (DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE)

Abstract

Field trapping of Anastrepha suspensa (Loew) in groves of mamey sapote, Pouteria sapota (Jacq.), showed that fly populations were present in high numbers in all of the groves used for the experiments. Fly populations were highest at the beginning and end of the sampling period. More than 646 fruit of mamey sapote weighing a total of 459.9 kg were exposed to Caribbean fruit flies either in the laboratory or under natural conditions. In one test in the laboratory, 9 Caribbean fruit fly larvae were recovered from mamey sapote fruit. All of the control guava fruit had infestations, some as high as 70 larvae per fruit. In the field tests, no mamey sapote had infestations of Caribbean fruit flies, either naturally occurring or from caged infestation tests. Pressure measurements showed that mamey sapotes averaged -80 to -130 Newtons which is much harder than guavas which averaged -30 Newtons. Magaña and Pantin mamey sapote collected in the field in Florida were not found to be hosts to the Caribbean fruit fly, but laboratory infestation was found to occur.