Artificial diets for the rearing of adult and larvae of South-American fruit fly

Abstract

The objective of this work was to adequate artificial diets for the development of larva and adult stages of South-American fruit fly (Anastrepha fraterculus). For the larval stage, the following diets were tested: D1, original diet, with 10 g agar; D2, modified diet, with 3.6 g agar; and D3, modified diet, with dry sugarcane bagasse. For adults, four diets were tested: A, brewers’ yeast + honey (2:1); B, refined sugar + yeast extract + crude wheat germ (3:1:1); C, soybean extract + brown sugar + crude wheat germ (3:1:1); and D, brewers’ dried yeast + honey (2:1). The evaluated biological parameters were: duration of the egg-pupa period, duration and feasibility of the pupa stage, average mass of pupae, sexual ratio, and duration and feasibility of the egg-adult period. Larval stage development for D1 and D2 was similar, and indicated that the larval rearing can be managed with 1/3 agar quantity used in D1. The dry sugarcane bagasse, used in the artificial diet, negatively affected the larval development. Artificial diets with brewers’ yeast + honey and with refined sugar + yeast extract + crude wheat germ are the most adequate ones for adult rearing.