The Successful Eradication Programs of the Melon Fly in Okinawa

Abstract

The melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae, is one of the most destructive pests of cucurbit crops. Its distribution extends into Africa, India, Southeastern Asia and the Pacific Islands including Hawaii. A pilot project to eradicate the melon fly by using the “sterile insect technique” was initiated on Kume Island in 1972, and the fly was successfully eradicated in 1978 Iwahashi 1977, Ito and Koyama. The eradication program in the Okinawa Islands, which include the largest island, Okinawa Island, in the Ryukyu Archipelago, was begun in 1986. The control strategy was based on an estimation of the wild population density and the number of sterile flies to be released for eradication which was derived from the simulation model. No wild fly had been captured and no infested fruits had been detected since December 1989. On the basis of trap and host fruit surveys, the government announced the eradication of the melon fly in the Okinawa Islands in November 1990.