ABSTRACT
The genetic sexing strain Anastrepha ludens (Loew) Tap-7 was developed in the Moscafrut Program for male-only releases. Although successful sexual competitiveness and sterility induction in wild females have been demonstrated for Tap-7 males, evaluations in situ are important to corroborate the compatibility and effectiveness of the males of this strain prior to conducting large-scale releases over wide areas. Sexual competitiveness and capacity to induce sterility by A. ludens Tap-7 males were evaluated in field cages in the sweet orange Citrus aurantium var. Valencia orchard “Las Parcelas” in Montemorelos, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, with an average temperature of 27.2°C and average relative humidity of 68.40%, in September 2017. Sterile males showed sexual activity synchronously with wild males. The relative 210sterility index (RSI) and the Fried competitiveness index of sterile males were 0.61 ± 0.03 and 0.43 ± 0.13, respectively, which are considered as acceptable for this species. These results show that males of the Tap-7 strain were accepted by wild females from Montemorelos in the presence of wild males and induced sterility in the wild population effectively.
