New indices and method to measure the sexual compatibility and mating performance of Ceratitis capitata (Diptera : Tephritidae) laboratory-reared strains under field cage conditions

The method to assess the sexual compatibility and mating performance of Med iterranean fruit By, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), mass-reared strains ha s been revised. Three new indices (isolation index, ISI; male relative perf ormance index, MRPI; female relative performance index, FRPI) that look at the relative impact of both male and female population on the sexual isolat ion between laboratory and wild strains are described. The methodology and the indices were used in Argentina to test the SEIB 6-96 genetic sexing str ain in competition with wild C. capitata population from the Patagonia regi on. The experiments show that the a populations are sexually compatible (IS I = 0.309). SEIB 6-96 sterile males compete with wild males, achieving 1 ou t of 4 Patagonian female mates. Using the current method as a decision tool SEIB 6-96 sterile males are released weekly in Patagonia since September 1 997. The accuracy of the 3 new indices is compared with the indices previou sly available. The possible application of the method and the indices in SI T operational programs world-wide is discussed.