Methyl Bromide Fumigation Treatments of Fruits Infested by the Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Diptera: Tephritidae)1

Abstract

Survival of Mediterranean fruit flies, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) was determined in cherries, nectarines, papayas, peaches, pears, and plums fumigated with various methyl bromide treatments without a subsequent cold treatment. The treatments were: (1) 48 g/m3 for 2 h, (2) 48 g/m3 for 3 hand (3) 32 g/m3 for 4 h. All fumigations were at 21°C and normal atmospheric pressure (NAP). Fumigation chambers were aerated for 2 h immediately after treatments. Probit 9 security (P < 0.05 for 99.997% mortality) was found with all three treatments.