This laboratory-based study examined the effects of low-temperature phosphine fumigation on the survival of the eggs and larvae of the guava fruit fly, Bactrocera correcta (Bezzi). Individual flies at different developmental stages, from 6-h-old eggs to third instars, were exposed to 0.92 mg/liter phosphine for 1-7 d at 5°C. We found that 12-h-old eggs and third instars were the most tolerant to phosphine. Increasing phosphine concentrations from 0.46 to 4.56 mg/liter increased mortality in these two stages. However, increased exposure times were required to achieve equal mortality rates in 12-h-old eggs and third instars when phosphine concentrations were ≥4.56 and ≥3.65 mg/liter, respectively. C(n)t = k expression was obtained at 50, 90, and 99% mortality levels, and the toxicity index (n) ranged from 0.43 to 0.77 for the two stages. The synergistic effects of a controlled atmosphere (CA) with elevated CO(2) levels were also investigated, and we found that a CO(2) concentration between 10% and 15% under CA conditions was optimal for low-temperature phosphine fumigation.
Bactrocera tau (Walker) is one of the most harmful pests to fruits and vegetables. To counteract this pest, the development of phytosanitary treatment is required to comply with the pest regulation requirements of certain countries. This study investigated the toxicity of phosphine fumigation against B. tau under low temperature conditions. Different growth stages (eggs and instars) of B. tau were exposed to 1.07 mg/liter phosphine for 1-10 d at 5 degrees C, and compared with unfumigated flies at 5 degrees C. The results showed that tolerance to cold treatment alone or phosphine fumigation at low temperatures generally increased with the stage of insect development. However, eggs incubated for 12 h at 25 degrees C represented the most tolerant growth stage to phosphine fumigation at 5 degrees C. Furthermore, 8.56- to 2.18-d exposure periods were required to achieve 99% mortality with a range of phosphine concentrations from 0.46 to 3.81 mg/liter. C0.62 t = k expression was obtained from the LT99 values, indicating that the exposure time was more important than the phosphine concentration.
Carposina niponensis Matsumura (Lepidoptera: Carposinadae), is widely distributed in pome fruit production areas in China and presents a problem in some export markets because it is considered a quarantine pest by some countries. Methyl bromide is the only fumigant used for fumigation of apples (Malus spp.) for export. However, phosphine is a candidate replacement that can be applied directly at low temperature. Here, laboratory tests showed that tolerance of different stages of C. niponensis to phosphine fumigation at 0 degrees C differed greatly; first-second-instar larvae were the least tolerant stage and the mature fifth instars were the most tolerant stage. In the mature larvae, fumigation tests, with a range of phosphine concentrations from 0.42 to 1.95 mg/liters and exposure periods of 24 h to 14 d at 0 degrees C indicated narcosis when phosphine concentration was > or = 1.67 mg/liter and that a 15.52-8.14-d fumigation period was required to achieve 99% mortality with different phosphine concentrations. The expression of C(0.7)T = k was obtained, which indicated that exposure time was much more important than concentration of phosphine in mortality of mature larvae of C. niponensis. All results suggested that phosphine fumigation at low temperature offers promising control of C. niponensis infestation in pome fruit.
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