EFFECT OF HOST NUTRITIVE-VALUE ON EGG-PRODUCTION BY CERATITIS-CAPITATA (DIPTERA, TEPHRITIDAE)

In a previous study we demonstrated that Ceratitis capitata larvae sho w a superior performance when they feed on the apical portion of papay a compared to larvae that feed on the basal portion, probably due to t he higher levels of sugars in the apical portion, In the present study we carried out experiments to determine if larval feeding on the basa l or apical portion of the fruit influences ovarian development and eg g production by adult C. capitata females, The results indicate that f emales that feed on the apical portion during the larval stage have mo re developed ovaries and produce more eggs than females who feed on th e basal portion during the larval stage, We also compared artificial d iets of quantitatively similar chemical composition to the apical and basal portions of the papaya fruit, In this last experiment, no differ ences were detected in any of the parameters studied, i.e. percent eme rgence, time to pupation, adult size, and egg production. (C) 1997 Els evier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.