Improving Ceratitis capitata control through the mass trapping technique in an IPM programme on apricots in Tunisia

New techniques for Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann, 1824) control are being studied and developed to replace traditional organophosphate pesticide applications. A mass trapping strategy offers promising medfly control within integrated pest management (IPM) programmes. Field assays were performed to study the efficacy of two mass trapping techniques based on PheroNorm® and Ceratrap® lures that were compared to a conventional approach to control the medfly in Tunisian apricot orchards. The results showed that both mass trapping techniques had a similar efficiency in reducing the C. capitata population. The degrees Brix in the fruits was a determinant issue since the initial apricot fruit damage was detected at 6.4%. At harvesting, the lowest fruit damage rate was recorded in the PheroNorm® (4.25%) and Ceratrap® (6.50%) treated orchards, compared with the conventional approach (10.75%). Therefore, the use of 50 PheroNorm® and Ceratrap® traps per ha density within an IPM approach may be very useful to control the C. capitata populations in apricot orchards.