Methyl Bromide Fumigation Quarantine Treatment for Carambolas Infested with Caribbean Fruit Fly (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Abstract

A methyl bromide fumigation quarantine treatment was developed for ‘Arkin’ carambolas, Averrhoa carambola L., infested with the Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspense (Loew). Although 1 larva of an estimated 104,303 in 6,796 carambolas survived fumigation at 40 g/m3 for 2 h (temperature 23 ± 1°C) it died as an apparently normal pupa. No immediate detrimental effects were observed on sound carambolas after fumigation; however, shelf life at room temperatures was reduced by 24-30%. Methyl bromide residues in carambolas fumigated with 40 g/m 3 for 2 h and stored at 23 ± 1°C were not detected <10 ppb) after 48 h. After 48 h of storage at 4.5 ± 0.5°C, fumigated carambolas had residues of 0.83 ± 0.09 ppm. Methyl bromide fumigation of carambolas with 40 g/m 3 for 2 h at 23 ± 1°C could be a viable quarantine treatment of carambolas infested with the Caribbean fruit fly if the fruit fly mortality and carambola shelf life observed in this study were not objectionable.