Vapor Heat Treatment for Grapefruit Infested with Caribbean Fruit Fly (Diptera: Tephritidae)

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Abstract
‘Marsh’ grapefruit, Citrus paradise Macf. (size #36, mean weight = 426.9 ± 80.0 g) were subjected to vapor heat (saturated hot air) to determine the effect of the treatment on grapefruit quality and the mortality of larvae of the Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa (Loew), inside the grapefruit. Vapor heat at 46-46.40°Cfor 3.75 h resulted in drying of the oil glands of the grapefruit peel; rot of uninfested fruit increased to 9.4% after 60 d storage compared with 2.9% for untreated, uninfested fruit. Vapor heat at 43.3-43.7°C for 5 h caused no damage to fresh grapefruit. Probit 9 (99.9968%) mortality of larvae of A. suspense in grapefruit treated with vapor heat at 43.3-43.7°C was estimated to be 252.0 min (95% FL = 235.3-272.4 min). When approximately 103,470 larvae (mostly third instars) of A. suspense were subjected to vapor heat at 43.3-43.7°C for 270 min, three larvae survived; two of these died later as pupae. We recommend that #36 grapefruit infested with A. suspense be subjected to vapor heat at 43.3-43.70°C until the centers of treated fruits remain at 43.30°C for 50 min.