Quarantine treatment for courgettes infested with Bactrocera cucumis
Bactrocera cucumis (EPPO A1 quarantine pest as a non-European tephritid) is a serious pest of cucurbits, tomato and papaya and is distributed in Australia only. Experiments have been conducted in Australia to test the efficiency of a vapour-heat treatment for courgettes infested with B. cucumis. Courgettes infested with 22 h old eggs of the pest were completely disinfested using the vapour-heat treatment of 45ø C with ;94 RH for 30 min. An estimated total of 178 219 eggs were treated without survivors, thus achieving probit 9 (99,9968% mortality). It was also found that the eggs of the pest were significantly more tolerant to heat than first, second and third instars of B. cucumis.
This item has been available in INFOEPPO since 1993-05-24!
Sources
Corcoran, R.J.; Heather, N.W.; Heard, T.A. (1993) Vapour heat-treatment for zucchini infested with Bactrocera cucumis (Diptera: Tephritidae).
Journal of Economic Entomology 86, 66-69.