Expansion of the National Fruit Fly Control Programme in Argentina

In the Patagonia and Cuyo regions of Argentina, which specialize in temperate fruit production, the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) occurs mainly in urban areas. Nevertheless, its presence has represented a phytosanitary barrier for exporting fresh fruits to countries free of the pest or with active control programmes. As a result of more than ten years of successful integrated area-wide application of the sterile insect technique (SIT) against this pest, the phytosanitary status of these two regions was redefined, thereby allowing exports without postharvest treatments to previously closed markets. In the north-eastern and north-western regions of Argentina that are mainly citrus-growing areas, there are two main fruit fly species: the Mediterranean fruit fly and the South American fruit fly Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann). In these regions they are present in urban areas, in commercial orchards and in wild host areas. Growers using traditional methods based exclusively on insecticides applied as air or ground sprays actively control these pests. Even so, about 143 000 tons of citrus are lost every year in these regions due to fruit fly pests. The gross value of this lost production is estimated at USD 37 million annually. Against this background and within the framework of the National Plant Health Programme, the National Agri-Food and Animal Health and Quality Service (El Servicio Nacional de Sanidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria - SENASA) has made the expansion of the fight against these pests a priority. The expanded programme plans to become comprehensive, extending suppression of the pest to these other major fruit production regions by applying the area-wide concept, and integrating and adapting different technologies to each particular regional condition. The programme will incorporate the use of the SIT over an additional 90 000 hectares. The main economic impact of the expanded programme is expected to be felt in the citrus- growing areas of the north-eastern region, Monte Caseros (Corrientes) - Colón (Entre Ríos), where 56 200 hectares are used for the production of oranges and tangerines by 2400 growers. In this important production area (932 000 tons of citrus), direct benefits will include increased revenues from the higher volumes and quality of fruit produced due to the absence of damage by fruit flies; these are estimated from the fourth year of the initiation of the expanded programme at USD seven million per year. Reduced surveillance and control costs coupled with reduced environmental impacts arising from lower insecticide use will be additional advantages.

KEYWORDS Anastrepha fraterculus, South American fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata, Mediterranean fruit fly, Argentina, area-wide, suppression, fly-free areas, areas of low prevalence