ISHS Acta Horticulturae 269: Symposium on Tropical Fruit in International Trade
FRUIT FLY DISINFESTATION OF TROPICAL FRUITS USING SEMIPERMEABLE SHRINKWRAP FILM |
| Author: | Eric B. Jang |
| Abstract:
A semipermeable shrinkwrap film (Cryovac, D-955) was used to evaluate the potential use of gas-permeable films to disinfest tephritid fruit flies from tropical fruits. Using papaya (Carica papaya L.) as a model, fruits infested with the egg and larval stages of two tephritid fruit fly species found in Hawaii were wrapped and held for 3 to 6 days prior to assessing fruit infestation. Fruit infestation decreased in a time-dependent manner in shrinkwrapped fruit over the course of the experiment. However, fruits remained infested if not wrapped properly. Greater than ninety percent of the fruits that remained infested after 120 h could be attributed to either loosely wrapped fruits or holes in the wrap. Wrapped fruit caused larvae in the fruit to leave the fruit within 30 to 60 min. trapping them between the fruit and the wrap. Although the use of semipermeable shrinkwrap films to disinfest tropical fruits of fruit flies appears promising, more research is needed to develop proper wrapping techniques and to more fully understand the interaction between the fruit, the wrap and the insect. | |
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