CERA TRAP as alternative to standard fruit fly control in fruit crops of South Africa

Three endemic tephritid fruit fly species, Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) (Cerratitis capitata), Natal fly (Ceratitis rosa), Marula fly (Ceratitis cosyra) and a fourth species of Asian origin, the Oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis), are considered pests of significant economic and quarantine importance in South Africa (Manrakhan et al. 2011). Fruit flies are notoriously difficult to control due to their polyphagous nature and high number of generations per year (Llorens et al. 2008). The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of mass-trapping with an enzymatically hydrolysed protein, Cera Trap®, as alternative to the standard chemical baiting programme in Western Cape table grape, citrus and nectarine orchards.