EVALUATION OF THE EFFICIENCY OF MASS TRAPPING OF CERATITIS CAPITATA (WIEDEMANN) (DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE) IN TUNISIAN CITRUS ORCHARDS USING TWO TYPES OF TRAPS: CERATRAP^® AND TRIPACK^®

The control of Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann has been traditionally relied on chemical control with organophosphates based insecticides. The use of many of these active substances has been banned by many countries; therefore, the development of new control methods in Tunisia is essential to manage this pest. In 2010 and 2011, we investigated the efficiency of two brands of traps in three Tunisian biotopes under different management systems. In the biotope of Chott- Meriem (organic), the results of mass trapping trials indicated that the captured adult males of the Medfly were high from 10 to 22 November, at fruit ripening period. No significant differences in the percentages of damaged fruits were detected in cultivars ‘Washington Navel’ and ‘Maltaise’ when using Ceratrap^® or Tripack^® traps. In the biotope of Takelssa (under Integrated Pest Management, IPM), differences on damaged fruits were observed between the use of Tripack^® (10.37%) versus Ceratrap^® (4.25%) whereas slightly differences in Ceratitis captures were observed 9.4 versus 10.85 respectively. In the biotope of Mornag (conventional), trap captures were higher in the Ceratrap^® than in Tripack^® traps. Under different farming systems: organic (Chott-Meriem), IPM (Takelssa) and finally the conventional one (Mornag), the two types of traps were very selective towards non targeted insects without exceeding 1% of total trapped insects.