Ceratitis capitata control on table grapes in Israel by the mass trapping system Cera Trap

The fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata, is worldwide notorious for their destructive impact on agriculture and is one of the most difficult pests to handle. The control of this pest has historically relied on pesticide treatments which are currently not well considered because of its toxicological and environmental awareness. At present, mass trapping techniques are one of the control methods used against med fly as an alternative to standard insecticide sprays.For some deciduous fruits, such as table grapes, Ceratitis capitata is a serious pest. In order to achieve the international market high quality standards, the table grape industry requires pest management alternatives. Grape harvest period is prolonged over a long time due to the difficult postharvest preservation among other factors. Ripe clusters and sweet grapes remain in the vine for an extended period and consequently being exposed to fruit fly attacks.Taking into account these considerations, Cera Trap was developed, as a mass trapping system based on a liquid protein obtained by an exclusive method of enzymatic hydrolysis, insecticide free and with a strong fruit fly attraction capacity.Field trials carried out in Kadesh (Israel) in three different varieties, Zeini, Crimson and Thompson seedless are described comparing the effectiveness of this mass trapping system against standard insecticide treatments. Results suggest that Cera Trap decrease fruit fly infestation level and therefore pest damage on clusters.