Hawaii Maui Molokai Oahu Kauai Lanai Kahoolawe Niihau Area-Wide Pest Management of Fruit Flies in Hawaii R.F.L. Mau, J. Sugano, E. B. Jang, R. I. Vargas, and L. Wong

Outcomes Sought:  Suppression (control)  Sustainable (every year)  Environmentally friendly

Hands-on Teaching Philosophy

Research Education Assessment Research Education Assessment Area-Wide Fruit Fly Management Components Parasitoid Insects Sterile Insects Field Sanitation Population Monitoring Protein Bait Male Annihilation Suppression

Building a Sustainable Statewide Extension Program  Define  Plan  Measure  Evaluate  Modify

What is Sustainability?  Ability to sustain benefits after program support (technical, education and financial) has significantly decreased or ended

Measure  Grower Performance  Community Perceptions  Student Interest  Our Performance

Evaluation Tools  Testimonials  Survey Instruments  Observations

Methods of Measurements  Pre-Post /Post-Then Pre Test  Interviews  Testimonials  Observations  On-Farm Visitations USDA-ARS

Baseline Grower Interviews  Descriptive survey research  Likert-type scales (5 point scales)  Surveyed fruit & vegetable growers USDA-ARS

Purpose of Grower Interviews (Baseline)  Knowledge  Control strategies  Attitudes  Perceptions

Melon fly Bactrocera cucurbitae

Applied Biology and Ecology  Melon fly female long maturation ca. 3 weeks  Melon fly has roosting behavior  Use trap plants near crops  Females need protein food  We can kill many females and males before they attain sexual maturity using a system of trap plantings and attract & kill food baits  Melon fly has a long lifespan  Reduce the lifespan of females using a system of trap plantings and attract & kill food baits

Why use bait sprays on melon fly roosting hostplants?  Kills females and males where they live  Weekly application increases chances of killing newly emerged flies before they become sexually mature (25 days)  Kills mature flies and avoids additional egg laying (3-4+ months)

Trap plants Plant melon fly roosting hosts– maize, tapioca, sudex, or castor oil weed Roosting host should be on-farm where the food bait can be applied Spray once a week, more often during rainy periods Corn Sudex Tapioca Castor oil

Oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis

Fruit fly suppression  10 to 15 ME traps per hectare  Protein spot application once or twice a week starting at fruit set  Sanitation