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Flies of agricultural importance (click for publications) | |||||||||
I have been collaborating in a series of studies on the biorational control of flies (Diptera) of agricultural importance in Mexico. These studies have focused on native pests such as Anastrepha species (Tephritidae) and invasive pests such as Drosophila suzukii, Delia planipalpis and Silba adipata. These studies were performed in collaboration with Dr. Rodrigo Lasa and other researchers at INECOL.
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The spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii is a serious pest of berries and soft fruits that originated in south-east Asia but has now spread across much of the world.
This fly was first detected in Mexico in Michoacán state in 2011 but is now a serious pest in the states of Jalisco, Guanajuato and the State of Mexico, where it attacks crops such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, cranberries and blueberries.
The pest has also been reported in the states of Colima, Aguascalientes, Baja California, and Veracruz.
Our studies have focused on the design of efficient trap devices, the testing of a range of natural attractants, such as raspberry juice and apple cider vinegar, and the role of different species of yeast in producing volatile compounds that are highly attractive to this fly.
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Species of the family Lonchaeidae are flies in which the larvae develop in living or decaying plant matter.
Some species can cause significant economic damage as fruit pests and sometimes as secondary invaders that a take advantage of previous damage caused by other fruit pests.
Larvae of the phytophagous species consume the buds, seeds, stems and fruits of a diversity of plants, and their pest status ranges from minor to major.
Our studies have focused on the identification of new species attacking figs and avocado in Mexico.
For this, the COI mitochondrial gene is amplified, sequenced and compared to the sequences obtained from other individuals and other species in phylogenetic analyses that reveal evolutionary relationships among the flies in this family.
These studies also include evaluations of the pest status of these flies and detailed studies of the biology and sexual development of economically important species such as the black fig fly, Silba adipata, which has recently appeared as an invasive pest in central Mexico and Veracruz state.
Additional studies in progress have revealed previously unknown aspects of the reproductive behavior of the black fig fly and the interactions that occur among males and females in mating swarms at different times of day.
In an ongoing project we hope to discover and characterize the diversity of lonchaeid flies in different parts of Mexico and better understand their importance in agricultural production. |
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The radish fly, Delia planipalpis (Anthomyiidae) has recently become an emergent pest of broccoli in central Mexico.
The fly lays its eggs close to the stem of young broccoli plants and the larvae fed on the root and stem causing plant stunting and death.
Our studies have focused on understanding the biology of this pest, especially related to its sexual development, and its responses to traps of diverse types and colors in laboratory and field experiments.
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